Journalists reporting on environmental issues around the world are facing increasing violence from both state and private actors, UNESCO said on Thursday, highlighting that 44 people have been killed between 2009 and 2023.
More than 70% of the 905 journalists the agency surveyed in 129 countries said they had been attacked, threatened or pressured, and that violence against them had worsened – with 305 reports in the past five years alone.
UNESCO, the UN cultural organization, mentions in its report physical attacks such as injuries, arrests and intimidation, as well as legal actions, including defamation lawsuits and criminal proceedings.
At least 749 journalists, groups of journalists and media outlets have been attacked in 89 countries across all regions, the report said, with state actors responsible for at least half and private actors responsible for at least a quarter.
“State actors – police, armed forces, government officials and employees, local authorities – are responsible for most attacks for which information about the perpetrators is available,” the report said.
The journalists covered a wide range of topics, including protests, mining and land conflicts, logging and deforestation, extreme weather events, pollution and environmental damage, and the fossil fuel industry.
Men were more likely to be attacked overall and women were more likely to experience abuse in cyberspace, the report said.
Of the 44 journalists killed in 15 countries while reporting on environmental issues, the report resulted in convictions in only five cases. In 19 of the 44 murders, the perpetrators have still not been identified.
At least 24 journalists survived assassination attempts.
