The three reports by UN Special Rapporteur Michel Forst under the Aarhus Convention provide a comprehensive account of the threats faced by environmental defenders across the globe. The first report documents 95 complaints received between June 2022 and September 2025, detailing cases of penalization, persecution, and harassment for exercising environmental rights. These include criminalization, smear campaigns, surveillance, and physical violence, often linked to opposition against extractive industries, renewable energy projects, and infrastructure developments. The Special Rapporteur responded through letters of allegation, public statements, trial observation, and country visits, and referred systemic cases to the Aarhus Convention Compliance Committee. The report also highlights the role of state and corporate actors, including companies headquartered in Aarhus Convention Parties, in perpetuating these threats.

The second report presents findings from 10 regional consultations with 172 environmental defenders from 53 countries. These consultations revealed consistent patterns of abuse across the globe. Defenders reported land-grabbing, environmental degradation, militarization of project sites, and lack of access to justice. The energy transition was frequently cited as a driver of increased pressure, with companies and development finance institutions from Aarhus Convention Parties implicated in harmful practices. The consultations underscored the urgent need for stronger legal safeguards, meaningful public participation, and international accountability to protect those defending the environment.

The third report synthesizes key trends and threats identified across complaints and consultations, highlighting the systemic nature of retaliation against environmental defenders. It details how defenders face stigmatization, smear campaigns, physical violence, strategic lawsuits, and abuse by law enforcement and judicial systems. Particular concern is raised over the effects of these threats, which deter public participation and silence dissent. The report also outlines good practices and offers concrete recommendations to Aarhus Convention Parties, including legal reforms, diplomatic engagement, and protections for peaceful protest and participation in international forums.