We are seeing a wave of criminalisation and repression of climate and environmental protest around the world. This is problematic for at least two main reasons. First, it focuses state policy on punishing dissent against inaction on climate and environmental change instead of taking adequate action on these issues. In criminalising and repressing climate and environmental activists, states depoliticise them. Second, they represent authoritarian moves that are not consistent with the ideals of vibrant civil societies in liberal democracies.
Concerning trends include:
- Over 2,000 Environmental Defenders have been killed since 2012
- Police violence and arrests are common
- There has been a flurry of new legislation criminalising climate and environmental activists that often undermine existing Human and Civil Rights legislation and conventions
- Legislation intended to be used against organised crime and terrorism are used against climate and environmental activists
- Protesters are sentenced to lengthy prison sentences designed to act as a deterrence to future activists
The Criminalisation and Repression of Climate and Environmental Protests around the World study aimed to address the following questions:
- What are the patterns of criminalisation and repression of climate and environmental
protest around the world? - What new laws and powers have been introduced and/or used?
The study distinguishes between environmental protest and climate protest, whilst acknowledging that many activists engage in both types. Environmental protests are aimed at stopping specific environmentally destructive projects. These are most commonly against fossil fuel exploration and extraction, deforestation, dam building or mining. Climate protests are often more urban in their geographies and tend to have greater political demands.
The findings are mainly drawn from data from the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data (ACLED) and Global Witness. The study analysed quantitative data capturing repression and criminalisation globally, and look more closely at trends and new legislation from a smaller group of 14 countries in different parts the world.