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17 September 2025 — A report presented to the UN Human Rights Council by the Working Group on Enforced and Involuntary Disappearances has raised alarm over the increasing use of enforced disappearances against land and environmental defenders worldwide.
The report identifies a disturbing pattern in regions with weak governance, where activists opposing powerful economic interests face abduction and silencing. UN experts highlighted collusion between state actors, corporations, and criminal groups, particularly in areas affected by climate emergencies and extractive industries.
Environmental advocates are frequently discredited as “eco-terrorists” or “anti-development,” a tactic used to justify surveillance and repression. The report also criticizes multinational corporations and financial institutions for failing to meet human rights due diligence obligations and for obstructing investigations into activist disappearances.
The UN group urged governments to strengthen legal protections, uphold land rights, and comply with international conventions. It also called on businesses to align with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and ensure their operations do not contribute to human rights violations.
Recent data underscores the urgency: Colombia recorded the highest number of environmental defender killings in 2022, while the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights reported 126 murders of human rights defenders in 2023. Repressive measures against climate activists have also been documented across the European Union.
