Colombia 'Deadliest Country for Environmentalists' Green Activists Killed Every Two Days in Decade

If you are concerned about environmental activism and the safety of those involved, there are several things you can do. You can start by learning more about the issue and the work of Global Witness.

You can also contact your local government representatives and express your concerns about the killings of environmental activists. Additionally, you can support organisations that work to protect the rights of environmental defenders.

By taking these steps, you can help make a difference in the fight against environmental injustice.

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Key Background and Context

Colombia has again topped the list of countries with the highest number of killings of land and environmental activists. According to an annual report by campaign group Global Witness. Out of at least 124 activists killed globally in 2025, 39 were murdered in Colombia, followed by Brazil with 26.

Global Witness says that 85% of the documented killings took place in Latin America. Making it the deadliest region for every year since the group started publishing its reports in 2012. Most of the killings were part of land disputes and in many cases they were carried out by hitmen or members of organised crime gangs, the report states.

Colombia has accounted for the highest number of murders of environmental activists for the past four years. Almost half of those killed in the country were members of indigenous groups. Meanwhile, many of the remaining ones were small-scale farmers, Global Witness's report says.

Many indigenous groups in Colombia have created their own protection networks in the form of indigenous guards. Which patrol their territory but are unarmed. Members of indigenous guards are often targeted by illegal armed groups looking to expand their territory to plant coca - the raw material used to make cocaine - or to engage in illegal mining.

Last week, Jacob Guachetá Zambrano, who was part of the indigenous guard in Colombia's Cauca region, was found tortured and killed. While the possible motive behind his murder is still under inquiry and the search for the perpetrator is ongoing, indigenous leaders shared that murders, threats and forced disappearances in the area were common as illegal armed groups battled for territory.

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Global Witness warned that Brazil had seen a doubling of killings of environmental defenders in 2025 compared to 2024. As in Colombia, in Brazil most of the cases the group documented were primarily driven by conflict over land, Global Witness's researchers found.

Outside of Latin America, 12% of the murders happened in Asia, with Philippines top of the list with 12 documented murders. The group warned that while globally the number of documented killings had gone down from 146 in 2024 to 128 in 2025. Its numbers were probably an underestimate as many cases went unreported.

Colombia 'deadliest country for environmentalists' Green activists killed 'every two days' in decade Record number of environmental activists murdered Juan López was one of the environmentalists killed in Latin America recent years. The anti-mining activist was shot in Honduras in 2024. Which patrol their territory but are unarmed.

Its numbers were probably an underestimate as many cases went unreported.