As negotiations wrap up at the 29th United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP29) in Baku, APC, Intervozes – Coletivo Brasil de Comunicação Social, Indigenous Peoples Rights International (IPRI), Manila Observatory KLIMA Centre and Ogiek Peoples’ Development Program call on state and non-state actors to uphold commitments to address the root causes of climate crises, adopt rights-based approaches and implement mechanisms for access to justice for land and environmental defenders facing extreme violence, criminalisation and censorship.
We call on state and non-state actors to uphold commitments to human rights as a pillar of sustainable development and the rights of all living beings, and to support land and environmental defenders who are working to address the root causes of climate crises and their worsening impacts.
In particular, we urge states to: (1) investigate and monitor attacks and reprisals against defenders; (2) address the role of disinformation in the continuum of violence against defenders; and (3) adopt mandatory human rights and environmental due diligence regulation, particularly in relation to the design, development, deployment and use of digital technologies.
Attacks and reprisals against defenders
In September 2024, Global Witness released its annual report on killings of and violence against land and environmental defenders. Global Witness documented that 196 defenders were murdered in 2023 after exercising their right to protect their lands and the environment from harm, recognising that the actual number is likely to be higher.
APC and its partners echo calls by Global Witness to systematically identify, document and analyse attacks on land and environmental defenders, emphasising transparency and participation.
Attacks and reprisals against land and environmental defenders are part of a wider strategy of intimidation, smear campaigns, disinformation, strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs) and criminalisation.
Disinformation in the continuum of violence against defenders
Disinformation and online smear campaigns are increasingly being used by various actors to harm and discredit land and environmental defenders.
Environmental defenders and journalists may be targeted with coordinated online smear campaigns, where false or misleading information is spread widely to tarnish their reputation, incite hatred, or discourage their activism.
Digital technologies have been used to spread campaigns of false and misleading information about climate change, environmental degradation, and the pathways towards sustainable development. These same capabilities are being abused to coordinate online attacks and disinformation campaigns against defenders and affected communities.
Mandatory human rights and environmental due diligence
In April 2024, 87 Indigenous peoples' representatives released a declaration at the Conference on Indigenous Peoples and the Just Transition (co-organised by Indigenous Peoples Rights International), responding to increasing criminalisation and attacks against Indigenous human rights defenders who speak out against the impositions of mining and energy projects that violate their rights.
The design, development, deployment and use of digital technologies is increasingly linked to extractive energy and mining projects that often have devastating consequences for communities and ecosystems nearby.
Due diligence requires companies to identify, address and account for potential adverse impacts on people and the planet and to communicate how they are doing this to stakeholders. Compliance and accountability in relation to these obligations are key to ensure a just transition.
Digital technologies significantly impact people and planet, including through resource and energy consumption, electronic waste and greenhouse gas emissions.
Upholding the rights of Indigenous peoples and traditional and Afro-descendant communities
Indigenous peoples and traditional and Afro-descendant communities are at the forefront of climate action, and it is critical to remember that more than 50% of the world’s transition minerals are located in Indigenous peoples' lands and territories, as well as a large percentage of renewable energy potential.
There are important cultural challenges presented by digital technologies, including data sovereignty. Climate-related policies must uphold the rights and sovereignty of Indigenous peoples and traditional and Afro-descendant communities, including through mandatory due diligence that is in line with the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) and the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs).