Every election is now a climate election

The statement asserts that elections in Brazil, the Philippines, and Colombia are fundamentally climate elections due to these countries' roles as 'crucial bulwarks in the fight against climate breakdown'. It highlights the intersection of climate action with public health, racial justice, and poverty reduction, while noting that these nations suffer intense climate impacts and high rates of violence against environmental defenders. The text calls for leaders who support democratic institutions, human rights, and science-based policies aligned with the Paris Commitments to avoid further climate delay and denial.

• Brazil, Colombia, and the Philippines are critical to global climate efforts as they house significant primary tropical rainforests and biodiversity; Brazil and Colombia are ranked first and fifth globally in remaining forest cover.
• The Philippines is identified as the most climate vulnerable nation in the world according to numerous studies.
• There is a high prevalence of violence against land and climate activists in these three countries, accounting for over half of all recorded murders globally in the last decade, with at least 317 murders in Brazil, 290 in Colombia, and 250 in the Philippines.
• The document identifies specific criteria for judging whether a political leader will take climate issues seriously, including support for independent democratic institutions, freedom of assembly and speech, rights of marginalized and Indigenous communities, distance from extractive corporations, and a science-based agenda aligned with Paris Commitments.
• Under the Duterte administration, the Philippines has reversed environmental protections by lifting bans on oil exploration in the South China Sea, reinstating open-pit mining, and entering new long-term fossil fuel agreements, including coal.

APA

Global Witness (n.d.). Every election is now a climate election. https://globalwitness.org/en/campaigns/land-and-environmental-defenders/every-election-is-now-a-climate-election/

Chicago

Global Witness. Every election is now a climate election. n.d. https://globalwitness.org/en/campaigns/land-and-environmental-defenders/every-election-is-now-a-climate-election/.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=Global Witness |title=Every election is now a climate election |url=https://globalwitness.org/en/campaigns/land-and-environmental-defenders/every-election-is-now-a-climate-election/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{globalwitnessndevery, author = {{Global Witness}}, title = {{Every election is now a climate election}}, publisher = {Global Witness}, url = {https://globalwitness.org/en/campaigns/land-and-environmental-defenders/every-election-is-now-a-climate-election/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }