Joint briefing for UNFCCC COP28 on Land and Environmental Defenders

This joint policy brief, submitted by Natural Justice and a coalition of international NGOs for UNFCCC COP28, advocates for the recognition and protection of Land and Environmental Defenders (LEDs). It highlights the severe human rights violations and violence faced by LEDs, particularly in the global south, and provides specific recommendations for the COP28 Presidency, the UNFCCC Secretariat, and member parties to ensure meaningful participation, secure land tenure, and integrate human rights into the Global Stocktake (GST) and Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).

• Land and Environmental Defenders (LEDs) are among the most targeted human rights defenders globally. In 2022, 48% of the 401 targeted killings of human rights defenders recorded by the Human Rights Defenders Memorial Report were identified as LEDs. Additionally, Global Witness reports that since 2012, an average of one LED has been killed every two days.
• LEDs face a wide array of non-lethal attacks and systemic harassment. In 2022, the Alliance for Land, Indigenous and Environmental Defenders (ALLIED) Data Working Group recorded 355 non-lethal attacks against 536 distinct entities. Tactics used to deter dissent include Strategic Litigation Against Public Participation Lawsuits (SLAPPs), criminalisation, surveillance, smear campaigns, and gender-based violence.
• The document argues that the UNFCCC and global climate processes have failed to sufficiently recognize LEDs. It specifically notes a lack of references to LEDs in the Sharm El-Sheik decisions and the Global Stocktake, which undermines the role of these defenders in mitigating the climate crisis.
• The briefing recommends that the UNFCCC Secretariat implement a zero-tolerance policy for intimidation, violence, and harassment against LEDs. It also suggests developing host agreements for COPs that include mandatory human rights checklists and conflict of interest clauses to ensure that host countries have the political will and capacity to uphold international human rights standards.
• Prioritizing land rights and tenure security, especially for women and girls, is presented as a critical mechanism for reducing violence against LEDs and meeting obligations under Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), adaptation plans, and biodiversity action plans.
• The authors call for the Global Stocktake (GST) outcome to be human rights-based, providing specific guidance on how parties can fulfill human rights obligations in their next round of NDCs. This includes reporting on and investigating reprisals against LEDs and committing to a rapid, equitable phase-out of all fossil fuels to keep warming below 1.5°C.

APA

Natural Justice (2023). Joint briefing for UNFCCC COP28 on Land and Environmental Defenders. https://naturaljustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Joint-Policy-Brief_2023_LED-1.pdf

Chicago

Natural Justice. Joint briefing for UNFCCC COP28 on Land and Environmental Defenders. 2023. https://naturaljustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Joint-Policy-Brief_2023_LED-1.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Natural Justice |title=Joint briefing for UNFCCC COP28 on Land and Environmental Defenders |date=November 2023 |url=https://naturaljustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Joint-Policy-Brief_2023_LED-1.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{naturaljustice2023joint, author = {{Natural Justice}}, title = {{Joint briefing for UNFCCC COP28 on Land and Environmental Defenders}}, institution = {Natural Justice}, year = {2023}, month = nov, url = {https://naturaljustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Joint-Policy-Brief_2023_LED-1.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }