Every Three Days, Someone Is Killed for Defending Nature
Part of composite article Environmental Defenders Killed Every 3 Days as Colombia and Brazil Account for Half of 2025 Deaths View full article →
In 2025, 124 people were killed worldwide for protecting the environment, according to the watchdog group Global Witness. That is one death every three days.
The victims included Indigenous people, small-scale farmers, and community organizers. All were acting peacefully to defend their land and natural resources.
Researchers warn the true number is likely much higher. Repression and armed conflict make many deaths impossible to verify, so the documented figure is probably only a fraction of the real toll.