Climate Activist Defenders (CAD)

Climate Activist Defenders (CAD) (former Activists in Risk Zones) was originally formed by climate activists from the Fridays for Future to provide emergency relief support to climate activists who were arrested in Tabriz. In August 2021, CAD was again called upon to respond to the needs of climate activists in Afghanistan whose safety and wellbeing came under immediate threat with the abrupt U.S. pullout from the country and the subsequent Taliban takeover. Since building the first support structures and with the onset of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in March 2022, calls to protect climate justice activists (CJA) on the frontlines of danger have continued to grow. In recognizing a broader need for more coordinated support for climate activists facing immediate risk, CAD aims to build upon its existing network and experience to advocate and strengthen support for activists and their families anywhere in the world whose physical safety and well-being are being threatened. Climate activism is an increasing human rights issue, especially activism that is exercised under oppressive regimes or in areas of conflict, such as Afghanistan. Climate justice activism is intertwined with women and LGBTQI+ rights, as not only do the marginalized groups experience the worst effects of climate change, the very act of speaking out and advocating for change places them at greater risk. With the increasing risk of criminalisation and the climate crisis at the doorstep, CAD aims to ensure climate justice activists in risk can continue fighting at the front of the global climate justice movement (CJM). CAD therefore provides emergency response, safety resources and builds a network inside the CJM to make the available resources accessible to more CJA. We just started a re-branding so our name changed recently and our logo and website will change soon.