Environmental journalists around the world face increasing threats and dangers in their line of work, according to a recent report by Unesco. The research, conducted jointly with the International Federation of Journalists, revealed that over 70% of environmental journalists have been targeted for their reporting since 2009. The study found that 749 environmental journalists have experienced violence and intimidation over the past 15 years, with 44 reporters being murdered between 2009 and 2023, resulting in only five convictions.
The nature of environmental journalism, often focusing on controversial topics such as fossil fuel companies, mining operations, land grabbing, and deforestation, contributes to the dangers faced by journalists in this field. Unesco Director-General Audrey Azoulay emphasized the crucial role journalists play in providing reliable information on the environmental crisis, stressing the need to defend freedom of expression and protect journalists worldwide.
Physical violence, including assaults, arbitrary detentions, murder attempts, and abductions, were the most common forms of attacks on environmental journalists and have significantly increased in recent years. The survey of 905 environmental journalists from 129 countries highlighted that state actors were responsible for at least half of the violence, with male reporters experiencing attacks more frequently than women.
Despite high-profile cases like the murder of journalist Dom Phillips making international headlines, attacks on environmental journalists have become alarmingly routine. The report revealed an average of 50 attacks per year between 2009 and 2023, with 300 incidents occurring in the last five years. About half of the surveyed journalists admitted to practicing self-censorship due to fears of attacks or endangering their sources.
Guilherme Canela, the lead author of the report for Unesco, underlined the essential role of journalists in informing societies about the environmental crisis, emphasizing the need for urgent protection of journalists by public authorities. The report called for an end to impunity for attacks on environmental journalists and advocated for increased safety training for reporters.
The report’s authors emphasized the critical importance of environmental reporting in the face of the global environmental crisis. They urged advocacy groups, journalism networks, donors, multilateral organizations, and other stakeholders to prioritize a free press and journalists’ safety, pushing for country-specific measures, legislative reforms, and policy changes to ensure journalists can work without fear of violence and intimidation.