New treaty compels states to investigate and punish killings and attacks on people defending their land or environmentOfficials from 24 Latin American and Caribbean states have signed a legally binding environmental rights pact containing measures to protect land defenders, almost two years to the day since environmental leader Berta Cáceres was killed in her home in Honduras. Last year almost 200 nature protectors were killed across the world, 60% of them in Latin America. The new treaty obliges states to “guarantee a safe and enabling environment for persons, groups and organisations that promote and defend human rights in environmental matters”. It compels strong measures to protect national environmental defenders from threats or attack – and investigate and punish these whenever they occur. “The treaty may help Brazil to reverse the trend of regressive environmental laws.”The agreement is formally called the Latin American and Caribbean countries declaration on Principle 10 (LAC-P10).

Source: The Guardian March 05, 2018 18:11 UTC