Killings of environmentalists seemingly on the rise
Environmentalists protest against coal projects and call on the government to implement renewable energy solutions in the Philippines
Image by: CHERYL RAVELO / Reuters
Image by: CHERYL RAVELO / Reuters
Around the world, sticking up for the environment can be deadly, and it appears to be getting deadlier.
People who track killings of environmental activists say the numbers have risen dramatically in the last three years.
Improved reporting may be one reason, they caution, but they also believe the rising death toll is a consequence of intensifying battles over dwindling natural resources, particularly in Latin America and Asia.
A report released on Tuesday by London-based Global Witness said more than 700 people died in the decade ending 2011 "defending their human rights or the rights of others related to the environment, specifically land and forests".
The death toll reached 96 in 2010 and 106 last year, much higher than any of the six previous years.
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