(Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú. Instituto de la Naturaleza, Tierra y Energía (INTE-PUCP), 2022) Gamboa Balbín, Aída Mercedes
The threats due to illegal logging, illegal mining, illegal agriculture and
illicit cultivation of coca come together in the Amazon and in Peru. Such activities
daily increase environmental defenders’ vulnerability level. They are subject to
aggressions when defending and protecting their lands and natural resources.
This panorama has been aggravated by the arrival of the pandemic and was
complemented by incentive to extractive and infrastructure activities, resulting
in the continuity of socio-environmental conflicts, such as escalation of violence
and criminalization of environmental defenders. Murders have increased and
have been reported by various international and domestic organizations, despite
progress in the justice and environment sectors. Therefore, there is need for
adequate implementation of various existing tools and also for the Congress
of the Republic to ratify the Escazú Agreement, the first environmental treaty
containing provisions for effective protection of these people.
