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June 14, 2024 – General –
A landmark UNESCO–IFJ report released in May 2024 reveals a sharp rise in attacks on environmental journalists over the past 15 years. Among the 905 respondents from 129 countries, more than 70% reported physical attacks, threats, harassment, or legal intimidation related to their work, and 44 were killed between 2009 and 2023. Of those, only five cases led to convictions, underscoring a profound climate of impunity.
The report documents 749 instances of violence, including assaults, arbitrary detention, abduction, and murder. Alarmingly, this violence has more than doubled in recent years, with 183 recorded incidents between 2019 and 2023, compared to 85 in 2014–2018. Meanwhile, remote field reporting—such as coverage of mining, deforestation, and land grabs—often exposes journalists to danger from both state agents and private actors like corporations and criminal networks.
Alongside physical threats, journalists are increasingly targeted by legal harassment. Nearly 30% have faced defamation or SLAPP lawsuits, and 45% report self-censoring due to fear of retaliation or legal consequences. A Guardian investigation emphasizes that coverage of environmental issues is now one of the most hazardous beats, second only to war reporting, with reporters routinely beaten, detained, or expelled in many countries.
Internews’ Earth Journalism Network (EJN) highlights the pressing need for enhanced support: 79% of journalists surveyed call for more funding; 75% seek training; 72% request fellowships; 67% ask for access to data; and 60% want expert contacts. EJN has launched digital security and physical safety programs, particularly in high-risk regions like the Amazon, where investigative reporting on illegal mining and deforestation has led to murders and kidnappings.
Experts argue that losing environmental journalists endangers global climate action, as societies need verified scientific information to tackle the planetary crisis. UNESCO’s Director-General, Audrey Azoulay, warned that without a secure press, “we can never hope to overcome” environmental challenges
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