기사
Latin America: Attacks against environmental defenders continue throughout the pandemic
"Attacks on ecosystem defenders in Latin America continue amid Covid-19", 13th May 2020
“Violence has not been quarantined.”
That phrase, repeated by social and environmental leaders in Colombia, is sadly true in many Latin American countries.
At least five defenders of the environment have been killed in the continent since 11 March, the date the World Health Organization (WHO) declared Covid-19 a pandemic.
Violence continues in rural regions with precarious medical services and a limited state presence. Meanwhile, scientists say an important way to reduce the transmission of infectious disease is to preserve the ecosystems these leaders care for and defend.
At least five defenders of the environment have been killed in the continent since 11 March, the date the World Health Organization (WHO) declared Covid-19 a pandemic.
Violence continues in rural regions with precarious medical services and a limited state presence. Meanwhile, scientists say an important way to reduce the transmission of infectious disease is to preserve the ecosystems these leaders care for and defend.
Though there is still much unknown about how this new coronavirus became a pandemic and generated an equally widespread economic recession, there are several indications that the accelerated loss of ecosystems is a crucial factor.
Many scientists are pointing to a link between habitat transformation and biodiversity loss, caused by road construction, mining or the expansion of the agricultural frontier to produce food. They note the proliferation of species that can spread viruses to humans...