An Open Letter from the Goldman Environmental Prize winners to Governments of the planet

We are the recipients of the Goldman Environmental Prize. We have been threatened. We have been tortured. We have been captured. We died by industrial poisons in our blood. We have been killed. We are the recipients of the Goldman Environmental Prize. We are in 81 countries. We are local activists. We are national ambassadors. We are indigenous peoples. We are ministers of the environment. We are women. We are men. We are elderly. We are young. 

For over two decades the Goldman Prize has honored us by the great risks we have taken to protect the environment. Now we ask you to risk. It is your duty to participate in the "Earth Summit" in Rio de Janeiro and lead to action in defense of biodiversity. The Earth Summit presents a profound opportunity to strengthen our commitment global protection of the planet, which was recognized 20 years ago in the historic "Summit Rio Earth-1992 ". 

Since then, the peoples of the world have preserved endangered species from extinction, preserved fragile lands and developed alternatives to some of our more destructive practices. Communities have repeatedly won major battles. But civil society is leading conservation efforts with people like us who are putting our lives and wellbeing at risk for   environmental protection. Now we urgently ask that you please take the lead in protecting the planet we share, for the good of future generations, I urge you to participate in the Earth Summit to take a risk, as we have taken to defend the Earth”.

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