Across the globe, the risks of defending community rights to clean air, water, and soil are increasing. Many governments and corporations are tightening the vice on civil society, and those in power continue to use violence to suppress activists who are standing up to protect the planet and their communities.
In 2018 alone, there were at least 164 murders of environmental defenders worldwide, with the most taking place in the Philippines, and an increased risk from prior years for activists in Guatemala. Global Witness and The Guardian partnered in 2018 to share the stories of those murdered, resulting in a powerful media piece spotlighting the breadth of the issue and impact on communities and families.
At Global Greengrants Fund, 48% of our grantees reported that they have experienced some type of threat, including government surveillance, attacks, or imprisonment. This number may be even higher as many respondents to our most recent grantee survey may have opted not to answer this question.
In response to the growing risks for environmental defenders worldwide, a group of fourteen funders, including The Cold Mountain Fund, The Overbrook Foundation, Wallace Global Fund, and the Mott Foundation, gathered together in 2017 to form a pooled fund, the Environmental Defenders Collaborative, aiming to support environmental activists by increasing access to funding and strategic resources. Since January 2017, the Environmental Defenders Collaborative has approved $1.6 million in funding to international, regional, and community-level organizations around the world.
Today, we’re delighted to announce that the Environmental Defenders Collaborative will now be housed at Global Greengrants Fund, merging the expertise and breadth of our networks to support environmental defenders and deepen the impact of our collective grantmaking.
“A partnership with Global Greengrants Fund is an exciting new chapter for the Environmental Defenders Collaborative, one that amplifies our ability to direct resources to activists on the frontlines of struggles to defend communities and the environment,” said Alison Wright, Director of the Environmental Defenders Collaborative. “It is an opportunity to deepen our understanding of needs on the ground and gaps in the current ecosystem of support for environmental defenders – and to work together through our networks to bridge those gaps.”
Grants from the Environmental Defenders Collaborative are made within a framework that seeks to “Protect, Prevent, Reveal, and Redress”. The primary aim of grantmaking is to help keep environmental defenders safe, by supporting urgent regranting for defenders under threat, and by providing funding for trainings on security.
The Collaborative also supports efforts targeting the drivers of shrinking civil space and violence against defenders, including community organizing and mobilizations and strategic litigation.
The grants also have the goal of revealing the threats and violence taking place against environmental defenders at the hands of governments and corporations, while also seeking to obtain justice for the victims.
By housing the Collaborative at Global Greengrants Fund, the environmental defenders at risk will have improved access to resources and strategic assistance. The network of volunteer advisors at Global Greengrants Fund can provide useful input to ensure that the resources spent through the Collaborative will have a real impact on frontline action.
Global Greengrants Fund and the Collaborative have already begun to bring our networks together, building connections between grassroots grantees and human rights organizations, which creates opportunities for larger grantees funded through the Collaborative to connect with smaller groups in need of assistance.
This partnership will assist both Global Greengrants Fund and the Collaborative in providing effective grants to help communities advocate for their rights and the environment, while also increasing awareness of the threats defenders are facing with the aim of bringing in additional assistance from funders and human rights organizations.
We are proud to move forward with this collaboration, and we will continue to share information and stories of impact from the frontlines. Stay tuned!
Photo: Goldman Environmental Prize