Deforestation
Deforestation accounts for significant greenhouse gas emissions and undermines forests’ natural capacity to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and cool our planet. Indigenous peoples manage 80 percent of the world’s biodiversity, and often, the best protected forests are found in their traditional territories. Other forest-dependent communities also play a similar stewardship role to their forests. Despite their immense contributions, these communities continue to face major barriers to the recognition and protection of their rights. They are frequently threatened, attacked, and even killed by criminal networks and land-grabbers eager to convert the forest to land for industrial agriculture. Yet, governments are taking few effective steps to reduce deforestation and companies have become adept at skirting pressure to secure the integrity of their supply chains. Human Rights Watch supports Indigenous people and other forest dependent communities in the struggle for the recognition and protection of their human rights by challenging the economic drivers of deforestation and ending violence and impunity against forest defenders.
Videos
Videos-
May 4, 2025
Facing the Bulldozers
Iban Indigenous Resistance to the Timber Industry in Sarawak, Malaysia
-
November 2, 2021
COP26: Don’t Be Fooled by Bolsonaro’s Pledges
Brazil Still Lacks Credible Plan to Save Rainforest as Amazon Crisis Persists
-
August 26, 2020
“The Air is Unbearable”
Health Impacts of Deforestation-Related Fires in the Brazilian Amazon
-
January 14, 2020
Brazil: Address Lawlessness in the Amazon
Encouraging Killings by Police Harms Public Safety
News
-
April 11, 2025
Human Rights Watch Submission to the UN Special Rapporteur on the Human Right to a Clean, Healthy and Sustainable Environment
Environmental Impact Assessments, Strategic Environmental Impact Assessments and the Right to a Clean, Healthy and Sustainable Environment
-
January 31, 2025
Critical Moment for the EU Anti-Deforestation Law
Strong Benchmarking of Country Risk Is Key to Law’s Success
-
November 8, 2024
EU: Don’t Weaken the Anti-Deforestation Law
European Parliament Risks Undermining Groundbreaking Legislation
-
October 15, 2024
CSO Statement: Hands off the EU Deforestation Regulation
-
October 3, 2024
EU Commission Proposes Delay for Anti-Deforestation Law
Delay Would Enable Continued Deforestation, Rights Violations
-
October 1, 2024
Von der Leyen should focus on implementation of EU's deforestation law, not its rollback
-
September 23, 2024
EU: Address Indigenous Rights Violations in Malaysian Imports
Designate Sarawak as ‘High Risk’ Under New Anti-Deforestation Law
-
September 17, 2024
EU Anti-Deforestation Talks Shouldn’t Sideline Frontline Communities
Environmental Groups, Indigenous Communities Provide Critical Input
-
September 9, 2024
EU Should Address Human Rights Risks to Achieve Deforestation-Free Supply Chains
Ignoring Rights Risks Environmental Devastation
-
May 31, 2024
EU: Include Civil Society in Anti-Deforestation Task Force
Environmental Groups, Indigenous Communities Should be at Malaysia, Indonesia Meetings