Colombia emerges as most dangerous nation for environmentalists, 60 murdered in 2022

As many as 177 environmental activists were murdered across the world last year, with 60 of the killings taking place in Colombia alone, making it the deadliest place on Earth for green warriors - according to a report by London-based NGO Global Witness.

While only 33 environment defenders lost their lives inthe South American nation in 2021, the figure nearly doubled in 2022, signifying a disturbing trend.

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"This is almost double the number of killings compared to 2021, when 33 defenders lost their lives," said the report, adding that very few perpetrators of the killing are ever brought to justice.

Since record-keeping began in 2012, at least 382 environmentalists have been killed in Colombia up until now. Apart from the environmentalists, the Indigenous people, small-scale farmers and members of Afro-descendant communities were also targeted in the attacks.

Even the politicians in the country are not safe from those opposing the green agenda. Francia Marquez, the nation's vice president and winner of the prestigious Goldman Environmental Prize in 2018, has already faced multiple threats on her life.

In 2019, she survived an attack by gunmen who tried to kill her over her work defending her home region's water resources against mining companies.

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Latin American countries top the murder chart

While Colombia recorded the highest number of murders, other countries in Latin America did not fare any better. Brazil recorded 34 murders, Mexico 31 and Honduras 11. The Amazon region saw 39 killings, with many of the victims from indigenous communities.

The watchdog asserted that the full scale of the killings remained unknown, primarily due to a lack of independent monitoring and restrictions on free press in many countries.

The group has called upon governments globally to address the issue. Notably, in countries where green defenders are not murdered in plain sight, they often find themselves embroiled in the legal web as the pressure groups use the might ofthe administration to cull their voices.

"The worsening climate crisis and the ever-increasing demand for agricultural commodities, fuel and minerals will only intensify the pressure on the environment -– and those who risk their lives to defend it," warned the watchdog.

(With inputs from agencies)

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