EnvironmentalJusticeFoundation

📷 Environmental defenders envision a better future, and we help them secure it. Journalists, activists, small-scale fishers and Indigenous leaders are often the first people to raise the alarm on threats to the natural world and their rights. Their work is vital to holding those who seek to exploit and abuse the environment accountable, securing the rights of marginalised people, and ensuring we have a liveable planet. We collaborate with these groups through our Environmental Defenders Programme, supporting them to investigate, expose and redress environmental abuses and associated human rights violations. We tailor our efforts to meet the context and needs of different regions, but our core approach remains the same across them all. 🎥 We increase defenders’ capacity to document, research and address environmental and related human rights abuses. This includes providing them with the necessary materials and skills. 🤝 We foster connections, mobilising and building powerful networks to reach political decision makers. 🌎 We enhance grassroots advocacy by integrating our work with defenders within our global campaigns to protect the ocean, climate, forests and wetlands. #EnvironmentalDefenders #EnvironmentalJustice #Investigations #Journalism

🐟 The UK is vulnerable to seafood tainted by human rights abuses and illegal fishing As found in a recent report from Coalition for Fisheries Transparency members EJF and Open Seas, there has been a near-total end to critical checks to ensure the legality of seafood imported to the UK - particularly since Brexit. Huge quantities of seafood are being imported from countries at high risk for these abuses, including China, Russia and yellow-carded countries, or countries that have been officially warned by the EU for insufficient action to combat illegal fishing. Consumers deserve to know where the fish on their plates come from, and the UK must stand up for marine ecosystems and crew who are exploited and abused at sea. Now is the time for the UK to: 🎣 Modernise its seafood import system 🔍 Restore proper inspections 🟨🟥 Introduce a ‘carding’ system to warn and sanction countries failing to tackle illegal fishing 🌊 Endorse and implement the Global Charter for Fisheries Transparency You can find more details in the Linktree in our bio 🔗

🌱 Protecting and restoring Ghana's forests of life Mangroves are among the most powerful natural climate solutions on Earth. In Ghana, they are also the lifeblood of coastal communities. These incredible ecosystems nurture fisheries, guard shorelines from erosion and storms, and sequester vast amounts of carbon. However, they are in decline, jeopardising local fisheries, increasing coastal vulnerability, and releasing stored carbon back into the atmosphere. Alongside Hen Mpoano, as a part of our Sustainable Oceans Project, we have released a short documentary on how local action and stronger policy can revive these vital ecosystems. Learn more about Hen Mpoano's mangrove restoration project by watching the video in our Linktree 🎬

🌊 To mark Sir David Attenborough’s 100th birthday and celebrate his critical contributions to ocean conservation, we are calling for meaningful action to tackle illegal fishing. Sir David Attenborough has done more than anyone to show the world what is at stake in our ocean. His work has made clear that protecting marine life is not optional; it is essential for food security, livelihoods and a stable climate. His “Ocean" documentary was the first to show underwater footage of bottom trawling on screen - a groundbreaking moment that brought the reality of this practice into full view. His lifetime of work has made it impossible to ignore the damage that is being inflicted on our ocean. The UK government must take action to fully implement the Global Charter for Fisheries Transparency, to ensure that fishing is legal, sustainable and fair, and that those who break the rules can no longer hide. This step would be a critical way to honour Sir David’s lifetime spent bringing the ocean into our homes and reminding us of our responsibility to protect it. #DavidAttenborough #OceanAction #BottomTrawling #IllegalFishing #OceanConservation

🪸 Today is #DeepDay - a moment to celebrate incredible deep sea ecosystems and call for their defence, to protect humans and wildlife alike. The deep sea is one of the last pristine ecosystems on our planet, largely untouched by destructive human activities. Not only is there still much deep sea life to discover, but scientists have also uncovered how important it is for the global carbon cycle, the health of wider ocean ecosystems, coastal livelihoods, and food security. This is what makes the rush to deep-sea mining so dangerous. Deep-sea mining could cause irreversible damage to ancient, untouched ecosystems, all for an untested and financially unstable industry. All life on our blue planet relies on the ocean for its survival, and we cannot risk it by destroying the deep. We need a global moratorium now. The words of UN Special Rapporteur on the human right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment Astrid Puentes Riaño ring true: “We need healthy ecosystems and healthy oceans to live. We cannot continue extracting everything. We have to think about how to repair and restore all ecosystems… instead of increasing the damages.” Hear more from her on why it is so critical we protect the deep to protect human rights 🎬 #DefendTheDeep @puentes.astrid

🌊 Our ocean is safest when it is in the hands of the communities who depend on it every day. 45 members of Ghana’s coastal communities of Axim, Shama, and Sekondi have officially graduated as citizen scientists, as a part of our Sustainable Oceans Project 👏 The celebrations were a powerful reminder of how community participation can transform ocean protection and inspire others to join. The citizen scientists conducted demonstrations of the biological monitoring process, showcasing their skills in fish measurement, dissection, and maturity-stage identification. These demonstrations inspired non-participating fishers at the event to sign up to join the next cohort of citizen scientists. By showing what the community can achieve, this programme is actively building genuine buy-in for sustainable fishing practices from coastal communities. Congratulations to all the citizen scientists who have graduated in Ghana as a part of our Sustainable Oceans Project - your dedication and expertise are inspiring! #CitizenScience #Ghana #CoastalCommunities #SustainableOceans #EnvironmentalJustice

🌊 Trapped and hidden at sea On China’s tuna fleet in the Indian Ocean, we uncovered that many vessels have been able to hide their illegal use of North Korean crew and keep them in situations of forced labour. Isolated from land and their families for years at a time, North Korean crew are barred from contacting anyone from home or even leaving the ship at ports. They are even transferred at sea between ships to avoid the eyes of the authorities. These inhumane practices can be brought to light and punished if the simple, low-to-no-cost steps laid out in the Global Charter for Fisheries Transparency, are implemented and enforced by governments. This includes banning the at-sea transfers and publicising vessel location, to bring vessels into sight of authorities. This #WorldTunaDay, we are calling for greater transparency in the tuna fishing sector. Without knowing who is catching what, where, when and how, we cannot make progress for a safe, sustainable ocean. 🔗 Find the report “Trapped at sea: exposing North Korean forced labour on China’s Indian Ocean tuna fleet” in the Linktree in our bio. #Transparency #IUU #HumanRights #ForcedLabour #EnvironmentalJustice

🚨 Ratification to reality - this #InternationalLabourDay, Indonesia has taken a critical step to protect fishing crews. Across Indonesia, many fishing vessel crews continue to face unsafe working conditions, unclear contracts and limited access to social protection. The exploitation starts from the moment of recruitment. Many rogue recruiting agencies withhold or cut salaries without transparency. On board vessels, workers often experience physical violence, threats, and inhumane and dangerous working conditions. Today, an important step was taken towards ending this abuse at sea. The government has ratified ILO Convention No. 188 (C-188), which sets up an international framework to establish the rights of fishers and secure decent working and living conditions. These protections must be delivered in practice. To effectively end exploitation at sea and ensure a sustainable, legal, and ethical fishing industry, robust implementation, enforcement and transparency are essential. 🎥 We have partnered with @suarapelaut.id to help people looking for work at sea to identify the danger signs. Hear the powerful testimony of a former crew member, who speaks about his experience on a Chinese vessel. #WorkingConditions #HumanRights #ILOC188 #InternationalWorkersDay

🥉 Our film “Adrift” has won Bronze at the Smiley Charity Film Awards @smileycfa ! 🎬 Behind each life lost at sea is a story much like the one told in our film. Thank you to everyone who took the time to vote - your support made it possible for the reality of Senegal’s coastal crisis and Abdou’s family to make it to the world stage. The route from Senegal to the Canary Islands is one of the deadliest on the planet. Yet the plundering of Senegal’s seas is driving people like Abdou to risk their lives in search of new opportunities. In the film, he shares that “some people had the same dream and purpose as me, but they never arrived.” We will continue working to build a more sustainable, just world for coastal communities in Senegal, so that no one else dies at sea. 🔗 You can find the link to the film in the Linktree in our bio #Senegal #SmileyCharityFilmAwards #Film #EnvironmentalJustice

❤️ Celebrating the heartbeat of the Pantanal. Take a look at these stunning aerial images captured by Airton, an Indigenous firefighter from the Limão Verde village, during Brazil’s Indigenous Peoples’ Day on April 19th. These perspectives were made possible using the professional drone donated through EJF’s Environmental Defenders project. While these drones are essential life-saving tools used to detect outbreaks and map fire dynamics during the burning season, maintaining the skills to use them requires constant, year-round practice. By operating the equipment outside of active fire combat periods, our brigade pilots ensure their skills remain sharp and their response times remain rapid when the dry season arrives. It is profoundly important that this drone technology can be used beyond the frontlines of firefighting - to document and celebrate cultural heritage and support the sovereignty of the communities they protect. Protecting Indigenous culture is intertwined with securing their territories and all the wildlife and ecological functions they hold 🌱 Find the Portuguese caption in the comments ⬇️ @ibamagov @funaioficial #IndigenousPeoples #Pantanal #EJF #IndigenousFirefighters

🎬 Our film "Pantanal" has been nominated at the Santiago Wild Film Festival in the Planet in Crisis category! "Pantanal" tells the story of the world's largest tropical wetland through the journey of two Brazilian environmentalists who have dedicated their lives to protecting this unique ecosystem. They travel to the heart of this incredible, yet threatened, biome and speak to scientists, Indigenous leaders, and local community representatives who paint a rich and complex picture of this wetland. One of Latin America’s leading environmental film festivals, Santiago Wild brings together powerful stories focused on nature, wildlife, and the environment, providing a platform for them to reach people across the globe. We're proud to see our film recognised at this incredible festival 👏 Find the trailer in the Linktree in our bio 🔗 #Pantanal #Brazil #Wetland #SantiagoWild #FilmFestival

☁️ Is El Niño on the way for 2026? Climate models show a high chance of El Niño developing by the end of the year. It is too early to confirm the intensity, but we’re watching closely. Water shortages, rising temperatures, and a potentially prolonged dry season mean the highest wildfire risk will peak between October and November. However, for the Brazilian Pantanal wetland, it must be a moment for attention, not alarm. Preparation is our best defence. We are taking action with our Environmental Defenders programme, which combines drone technology with Indigenous knowledge, equipping frontline firefighter brigades with real-time tools to spot fires, coordinate responses, and save lives. Together, they’re already protecting over 600,000 hectares of the Pantanal. We’re not waiting for the climate to act - we’re acting now. 🔗 Click on the Linktree in our bio to learn more about our firefighter training programme. @cemadenoficial @mmeioambiente @copernicusecmwf @noaaclimate #ElNiño2026 #Pantanal #EnvironmentalJustice #WildfirePrevention #ClimateJustice