Environmental Defender Killings Fell to 124 in 2025
Global Witness data shows a decline from 2024 levels, though Latin America remains the most dangerous region.
Updated on Sept. 20, 2026 in Environmental
Global Witness documented 124 killings of land and environmental defenders worldwide in 2025, a decrease from the 146 recorded in 2024. Despite this drop, the violence remains concentrated in specific territories where criminal groups compete for control.
Why it matters
The persistence of these attacks highlights the high stakes of territorial control in regions where land disputes over resources like mining and illicit crop cultivation often involve organized crime. Understanding these trends is critical to monitoring the safety of activists working to protect biodiversity.
Latin America accounted for 85% of all documented killings since tracking began in 2012. In 2025, Colombia recorded 39 deaths and Brazil 26, while the Philippines saw 12, marking a regional disparity where the vast majority of incidents occur outside of Asia.
The players
Global Witness
An international NGO that tracks human rights abuses and corruption, specializing in the documentation of environmental and land defender violence.
The details
Environmental defenders frequently face threats from organized crime syndicates and contract killers seeking to secure land for coca cultivation or mining. To mitigate these risks, some indigenous communities have established unarmed protection networks known as indigenous guards, which serve as localized monitoring units tasked with surveying and defending their ancestral territories.
Timeline
2012: Global Witness began tracking environmental activist murders.
2024: 146 killings of environmental defenders documented worldwide.
2025: 124 killings of environmental defenders documented worldwide.
The Tech Race
This data updates the ongoing trend line established by the 2012 Global Witness tracking initiative. It places the 2025 figures within the context of over a decade of surveillance regarding the hazards faced by those attempting to monitor and preserve natural resources.
The findings serve as a benchmark for international human rights organizations and governments monitoring land-use conflicts. Activists and organizations working in volatile regions may utilize these figures to assess safety protocols and identify high-risk areas for territorial oversight.
The takeaway
While the total number of killings decreased year-over-year, the heavy concentration of violence in Colombia and Brazil underscores the persistent danger to indigenous-led protection efforts. Watch for future annual reports from Global Witness to determine if the 2025 decline represents a durable shift in regional safety.
Further reading
For more context on how land disputes shape conservation, see our latest research in Environmental.
