The figure makes 2019 the deadliest year on record for activists defending land and water resources from the interests of mining, agribusiness and fossil fuels, Global Witness said in a report released on Wednesday.
Defenders are those who oppose human rights and environmental abuses fueled by the exploitation of natural resources, according to Global Witness.
Colombia was the deadliest country in 2019 with 64 murders, compared to 24 in 2018, and was 30% of the world total last year.
Next on the list was the Philippines, with 43 murders. Brazil had 24 and almost 90% of the murders took place in the Amazon region.
Seven of the ten most affected nations are in Latin America, where more than two thirds of all murders occurred. The region has consistently been the hardest hit since Global Witness began collecting data in 2012.
It is also home to Honduras, the country with the highest murder spike rate, which increased from four in 2018 to 14 last year.
Europe remains the least affected region, with two killings in Romania related to illegal logging. There have been seven murders in Africa, but checking cases is a problem in the region, Global Witness said.
Mining was the deadliest sector, with 50 people killed, followed by agribusiness with 34.
Asia was an access point for attacks related to agribusiness, representing 85% of the world total. Of this number, almost 90% took place in the Philippines.
There were also 24 felling-related murders, an increase of 85% compared to 2018 and the highest peak of any sector.
According to the report, many activists are also silenced by arrests, lawsuits, threats and violent attacks, and indigenous peoples are disproportionately affected.
In 2019, 40% of the defenders killed were indigenous, despite the fact that these communities represent only 5% of the world population.
WHRDs face a specific set of threats, according to Global Witness. Women represent 10% of those killed in 2019, but they also face smear campaigns with sexist or sexual content, as well as sexual violence, the NGO said.
Global Witness highlighted the work advocates are doing to combat climate collapse by opposing carbon-intensive industries.
“Agribusiness and oil, gas, and mining have consistently been the main drivers of attacks against land and environmental defenders, and they are also the industries that push us even further towards runaway climate change through deforestation and increased carbon emissions, “Rachel Cox, Global Witness activist, said in a press release.
“If we really want to plan for a green recovery that puts the safety, health and well-being of people at its heart, we must address the root causes of attacks on defenders and follow their example to protect the environment and stop the Decomposition climate. “
The report also highlights several successes defenders around the world enjoy, praising them for their resilience.
An example is the Dayak Iban indigenous community in central Borneo, Indonesia, which now legally owns 10,000 hectares (24,700 acres) of land after a decades-long struggle.
Another is the Waorani indigenous tribe in Ecuador, which won a landmark ruling that prohibits the government from selling its land for oil and gas exploration.
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