Article by PBI-Canada

Four defenders have been killed on average every week since the Paris Agreement was reached in December 2015, including Berta Caceres in March 2016.

The Feminist Foreign Policy Working Group recently noted: “Human rights defenders advocating for environmental protection and in support of their rights to territory, land, and water – often in the face of intensive resource development projects – face increasing criminalization, threats, and violence around the world.”

The Working Group then recommends: “Climate financing initiatives must recognize the threats to these activists and must include direct support to them. [Funding should] enable these courageous activists to carry out their work in safety and dignity.”

Climate financing, primarily intended to support developing countries build resilience to climate impacts and align their development strategies to a net-zero carbon future, was discussed at the United Nations COP15 climate summit in Copenhagen in 2009.

The COP16 Accord stated: “Developed country Parties commit, in the context of meaningful mitigation actions and transparency on implementation, to a goal of mobilizing jointly USD 100 billion per year by 2020 to address the needs of developing countries.”

The UN Human Rights Council has passed this resolution that stresses:

“Human rights defenders, including environmental human rights defenders, must be ensured a safe and enabling environment to undertake their work free from hindrance and insecurity, in recognition of their important role in supporting States to fulfill their obligations under the Paris Agreement.”

The need to support defenders is evident.

Global Witness has highlighted: “On average, four defenders have been killed every week since the creation of the Paris Climate Agreement in December 2015. Countless more are silenced by violent attacks, arrests, death threats or lawsuits.”

How climate financing can support defenders in relation to States fulfilling their obligations under the Paris Agreement remains to be more fully articulated.

Two key dates this year will be the world leaders’ summit on the climate that will be convened by US President Joe Biden on April 22 and the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow, Scotland scheduled for November 1-12.

PBI-USA is committed to tracking these issues and developing advocacy strategies in the lead-up to COP26 to support the environmental human rights defenders facing harassment, criminalization, judicialization, and death for their crucial work.