In a startling disclosure to the UN Human Rights Council, the Working Group on enforced and involuntary disappearances has highlighted an alarming trend: the increasing use of enforced disappearances against environmental and land defenders worldwide. This phenomenon is particularly prevalent in areas with fragile legal systems and rampant impunity.

According to the detailed report, activists who oppose large-scale economic projects are often targeted due to their efforts to protect natural resources and local lands. These enforced disappearances are typically orchestrated in countries grappling with climate crises, where violence and oppression are widespread. The report also accuses state authorities and media of maligning these activists as “eco-terrorists” or “anti-development,” undermining their work and justifying undue surveillance.

The collusion between state officials, corporate interests, and criminal elements is a central theme in these disappearances, aiming to safeguard profits derived from mining and other extractive operations. These activities not only threaten the environment with hazards like toxic spills but also involve illicit land acquisitions. The report criticizes the existing legal frameworks, which are insufficient and corrupted by various legacy issues, including colonial and patriarchal systems that do not effectively regularize land ownership.

The UN experts have called on non-state entities, such as corporations and financial institutions, to take responsibility comparable to that of state actors. They note a significant lack of compliance with human rights standards among multinational companies, especially in their failure to cooperate with investigations regarding the disappearances of activists.

In their conclusions, the UN experts have laid out a series of recommendations for both state and non-state actors. They urge the adoption of laws aligning with the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance and policies that enforce land ownership rights and community consent prior to development projects. For businesses, the recommendations include adhering to the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, conducting thorough due diligence, and ensuring that their operations do not contribute to or condone human rights abuses.

The report comes against a backdrop of increasing violence against environmental defenders globally, with notable escalations in regions like the European Union and the Americas. Recent studies and reports echo this concerning trend, citing repressive actions against activists and alarming rates of violence, particularly in nations like Colombia and across various American states.

This UN report serves as a crucial call to action for global leaders, corporations, and policy-makers to reinforce the protection of environmental defenders and uphold human rights standards amid the pressing climate crisis and the battle for natural resources.