- Defending the environment without putting one’s life at risk should be a given. It should also be a given that companies take responsibility for how their activities impact the environment and human rights. Unfortunately, that is not the reality today. The situation for both environmental defenders and the nature they are struggling to protect is becoming ever more alarming, says Karin Lexén, Secretary General, The Swedish Society for Nature Conservation (SSNC). 

SSNC applied for a clearance to organise a manifestation for environmental defenders the first day of COP27 and we received the confirmation yesterday. 

Several of SSNC’s partner organisations will participate, such as PELUM Kenya, Ecoaction from Ukraine and Earthlife South Africa. SSNC’s Secretary General Karin Lexén, among others, will hold a speech at the manifestation.  

- Most of the murders of environmental defenders are linked to conflict over land tenure. Indigenous peoples are especially vulnerable, every third environmental defender that was murdered in 2021 belonged to an Indigenous group. Political decisions on legal binding rules to stop destructive environmental activities and attacks on environmental defenders related to corporate activities are needed to turn this negative trend, says Karin Lexén. 

More information: 

Time: Tuesday November 15, 4.00–4.30 pm local time (Egypt) 

Location: 4b in the main roundabout with led screens tower before going into the plenaries and meeting rooms area  

Press and contact: 

Hanna Berheim Brudin, Head of Communications 

+4670 726 65 40   

hanna.berheimbrudin@naturskyddsforeningen.se