Between 2009 and 2023, at least 749 journalists and media outlets reporting on environmental issues were targeted for murder, detention, online harassment or legal attacks.
On May 2, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) sounded the alarm about the increase in violence and intimidation against journalists reporting on the environment and climate.
The UNESCO report is based on a survey of more than 900 journalists from 129 countries conducted in March. Accordingly, 70% of journalists surveyed said they had been attacked, threatened or pressured in relation to their work. In particular, about 40% said they had faced physical violence.
Between 2009 and 2023, at least 749 journalists and media outlets reporting on environmental issues were targeted for murder, detention, online harassment or legal attacks.
The situation has worsened in recent years, with 305 attacks reported between 2019 and 2023, a 42% increase over the previous five-year period.
Topics covered by journalists are varied, including protests, mining and land conflicts, deforestation, extreme weather, pollution, and the fossil fuel industry.
UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay stressed that without reliable scientific information about the ongoing environmental crisis, we can never hope to overcome it, but journalists who provide that information are facing serious risks, while climate-related misinformation is rampant on social media platforms.
To address this issue, UNESCO plans to launch a grant programme to provide legal and technical support to more than 500 environmental journalists.
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