Who We Are

As the climate crisis intensifies and pressure on natural resources grows, environmental defenders — the people protecting land, water, forests, and communities — are increasingly under attack. They're often the last line of defense for vulnerable populations, and they're paying for it with their freedom, their safety, sometimes their lives.

Speaking out against environmental harm is getting more dangerous, not less. Toxic mining. Unchecked oil extraction. Unlawful arrests. Violent crackdowns. The reported numbers of killed defenders are already alarming — and the real toll is likely higher.

In Liberia, millions of gallons of toxic waste discharged into waterways exposed communities to harm with little accountability. When residents protested, they were met with arrests, abuse, and denial of due process. The same pattern repeats across the continent — from the assassination of community leaders opposing extractive projects to the criminalization of peaceful protest under vague, abusive laws.

Home of the Secretariat

Liberia

ERA's day-to-day coordination is led by the Secretariat, hosted by Green Advocates International, a Liberian-based organization. Liberia isn't just a base of operations — it's also where some of the patterns ERA is fighting have played out directly.

Communities exposed to toxic waste discharge, met with arrests instead of accountability when they spoke up. The same enforcement void ERA is working to close — with a binding regional agreement — made visible in the place where ERA was born.