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Will the G20 summit just prior to COP26 recognize land and environmental rights defenders?

 

Will the G20 summit just prior to COP26 recognize land and environmental rights defenders?

Photo: The G20 virtual summit on October 14, 2021.

Peace Brigades International believes that “respect for, protection, promotion and fulfilment of human rights, and the protection of those who defend them, must be an essential and non-negotiable part of measures adopted” at COP26.

The United Nations Conference of Parties (COP) 26 climate summit will take place in Glasgow, Scotland from October 31 to November 12.

In tandem with this, the G20 (including representatives from the United States, Canada and the European Union) will be meeting in Rome, Italy on October 30-31.

When the G7 leaders gathered in Cornwall, England this past June, their Open Societies Statement affirmed: “The importance of civic space and partnership with diverse, independent and pluralistic civil societies, including human rights defenders, in promoting human rights and fundamental freedoms.”

That’s much weaker than this UN Human Rights Council resolution from March 2019 that states: “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 fulfil their obligations under the Paris Agreement.”

Global Witness, Fridays for Future and others are calling for a more explicit recognition of land and environmental rights defenders at COP26.

That’s because on average four land defenders have been killed every week since the Paris Agreement was reached at COP21 in December 2015.

It would be a step forward if both the G20 communique and Glasgow Pact included a statement affirming that governments must: commit to ending the criminalization and violence against land and environmental rights defenders; recognize their frontline work as essential for climate justice; ensure that those who commit violence against defenders face justice; and utilize all available tools to strengthen and ensure the protection of defenders.

Just last week, the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Spain, Switzerland, Netherlands, Italy, Belgium, Ireland and Norway along with Colombia, Guatemala, Honduras and Mexico signed this statement that recalls: “The Security Council has encouraged States to create a safe and enabling environment for those who protect and promote human rights, especially women, to allow them to conduct their work independently, and to address threats and violence against them.”

PBI webinar, November 6

Global Witness has documented that there were 227 lethal attacks against land and environmental rights defenders in 2020. That includes 65 defenders in Colombia, 30 in Mexico, 17 in Honduras, 13 in Guatemala and 12 in Nicaragua.

Peace Brigades International will be convening a webinar with defenders from these countries to highlight their struggles and expectations of COP26.

It will feature Danilo Rueda from Colombia, Juana Ramona Zuñiga from Honduras, Amaru Ruiz from Nicaragua, and a defender with Salvemos los cerros from Mexico. We will have confirmation soon about the speakers from Guatemala and Kenya.

The webinar will be on Saturday, November 6 at 1 pm EST and 1900 CEST (European time) with simultaneous translation in English and Spanish.

To register for it, please click here.

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    Land and Environmental Defenders