In 2023, nearly 200 environmental activists were murdered globally, with Colombia being the deadliest country, recording 79 killings, as per a report by Global Witness. This marks the highest number recorded for a single country in a year since the organization started monitoring such killings in 2012. Latin America accounted for 85% of these murders, with the Philippines remaining the deadliest country in Asia for the 11th consecutive year, having 17 activists killed. The report highlights that many of these murders are linked to opposition against mining, logging, fishing, and agribusiness industries. The Colombian government's pledges for environmental justice contrast sharply with ongoing violence, exacerbated by conflicts involving armed groups. The overall number of murders since the Paris Agreement in 2015 totals more than 1,500, showing a grim trend for environmental defenders worldwide.