Global Witness, a non-governmental organisation that monitors attacks on environmental and land rights defenders, said in its 2025 report that Colombia and Brazil together accounted for 52% of the killings of environmental activists recorded that year. The organisation identified the two countries as the deadliest places globally for people defending land and the environment.
The report compiles incidents of violence against activists working on issues such as land rights, forest protection and other environmental causes. Global Witness said its figures cover killings documented during the 2025 calendar year and are intended to highlight patterns of lethal violence against those campaigning to protect natural resources.
By concentrating over half of recorded killings in just two countries, the report underscores a stark geographic focus of deadly attacks on environmental defenders in 2025. Global Witness has previously produced annual tallies intended to draw attention to risks faced by individuals and communities who confront powerful economic or criminal interests over land and natural resources.
The findings are likely to inform debates among activists, governments and international organisations about protection for environmental defenders, though the report itself focuses on documenting incidents rather than prescribing policy responses. Global Witness's full report includes detailed country-level data and case examples for the year, which it said are intended to support efforts to prevent further violence.