This submission was prepared by MiningWatch Canada for the UN Special Rapporteur on the human right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment, for a consultation to inform an upcoming thematic report to the UN Human Rights Council on Environmental Human Rights Defenders.
The submission examines the risks faced by environmental and human rights defenders opposing mining projects, drawing on examples from Ecuador, Colombia, Panama, and Canada to illustrate the threats and challenges defenders encounter in different contexts. It also examines how the Canadian government, through its political, financial, and diplomatic support for the mining industry, contributes to an environment in which these risks are perpetuated and avenues for accountability remain limited. The submission concludes with recommendations for the Special Rapporteur to consider in developing the forthcoming thematic report.