Climate activists and movements fighting against the climate crisis are under pressure across the globe. Environmental defenders, CSOs and young activists are subject to fierce repression that take various forms, from laws and regulations preventing them from exercising freedom of expression and assembly to smear campaigns organized against interested groups.
To address these challenges, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association (UNSR), Clément N. Voule decided to dedicate its next thematic report to climate defenders and civil society actors advancing climate justice. The report will be presented at the 76th session of the UN General Assembly in September 2021. ECNL had the honor to co-organize the regional consultation to collect feedback from organisations, grassroots and activists working on climate change in Europe that would feed into this report.
Are you interested to learn about the challenges and recommendations shared during the consultation? Click below to download the report:
In our report we highlight the challenges that are common across Europe, including:
- Disproportionate restrictions to public gatherings and introduction of protest bans, especially under the pretext of fighting against the spread of COVID-19.
- Crackdown on peaceful protestors by law enforcement bodies.
- Limiting participation of civil society in the decision-making about key investment projects with a major impact on climate.
- Organizing smear campaigns against CSOs and vulnerable groups, using SLAPPs targeting climate activists.
To address these, participants recommended the international community to:
- Strengthen its demand for adherence to the international conventions on climate change.
- Demand that participating states implement stronger guarantees related to the freedom of assembly and other related freedoms, while ensuring that these are not only declared on paper.
- Adopt monitoring mechanisms for the conventions to oversee the implementation of the commitments.
Follow us to learn more about the UNSR's upcoming thematic report on climate defenders!