In 2023, 196 people were killed for defending environmental and territorial causes.
On February 4, the Cúpula dos Povos Rumo à COP 30 occupied the Cinelândia area, in the heart of Rio de Janeiro, with a Political-Cultural Action for Climate Justice under the theme “The COP Has Already Begun! All Rivers Lead to Belém.” Representatives from social movements, artists, and national, international, and local organizations amplified the message of the Cúpula, the struggles of territories, and the work of climate defenders.
With flags and a sound truck, participants took turns speaking about the importance of collectives and the general public becoming increasingly involved in building the global climate agenda. COP 30, taking place in Brazil for the first time, is seen as a major opportunity both to incorporate popular demands into the Conference’s agenda and to pressure governments worldwide to commit to historic social issues.
Osver Polo Carrasco, representative of the Climate Action Network (CAN Latin America), emphasized the urgency of collective mobilization: “Climate action is our responsibility. We have to change this, fight, and promote this transformation for the well-being of future generations.” According to him, the lack of progress in climate negotiations demands a strong civil society response: “There is no Plan B—it’s the only one we have to save.”
During the event, Eduardo Giesen, coordinator for Latin America and the Caribbean of the Global Campaign for Climate Justice, also highlighted the importance of collective mobilization to face the environmental crisis: “We are here to demand climate justice and build alliances that strengthen our struggle.” He stressed that civil society pressure is essential to ensure real and effective commitments to protecting the planet.
Mural Honors Climate Defenders for Their Legacy of Struggle
The artistic intervention “Who Defends the Climate Defends Life” transformed part of a construction fence in front of the Rio de Janeiro City Council into a mural honoring climate activists who were murdered. All of them fought for human rights, and most were actively engaged in environmental causes, such as Chico Mendes and Dorothy Stang.
The mural displayed 30 faces of socio-environmental activists who dedicated their lives to the cause and were subsequently killed. Currently, there is no consolidated count of environmental activist murders in 2024. However, the latest Global Witness report, published in September 2024, revealed that 196 people were killed in 2023 for defending environmental and territorial causes.
Colombia recorded the highest number of cases, with 79 murders, followed by Brazil with 25 victims. Latin America remains the most dangerous region for environmental defenders, accounting for 85% of recorded crimes in that period. Since 2012, Global Witness has documented over 2,100 murders worldwide related to environmental defense.
“It is important to remember that the struggle for human rights and the fight for climate justice are closely linked, because in the territories and areas where inequality and denial of rights are greatest, climate imbalance also has the most severe impacts,” notes Melisandra Trentin from Justiça Global.
“This was a simple tribute so that we can see that the struggles are connected. Today, the fight for the climate is an anti-systemic struggle, a fight for life in its diverse forms, territorial, and in its way of life. Here we have Chico Mendes, but also our comrade Marielle Franco, who fell resisting with her body, fighting for human rights,” added Cristina.
