Annual report 2021

Our case
for change

ANNUAL REPORT 2021 1

 Cover image: Climate strike march organised by Fridays
for Future Scotland during COP26, Glasgow, Scotland.
Jasmin Qureshi/Global Witness

Contents
Foreword 3
Global Witness Campaigns
and Impact 10
Our major impacts in 2021 12
Spotlight on the UN Climate
Change Conference (COP26) 30
Step into 2022 – Russia’s
invasion of Ukraine 34
Thank you 38
Income and expenditure
statement 40

2
Foreword from

ess
If the world’s

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al W
response to COVID
Mike Davis, CEO

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is an indication

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of Global Witness of how we will face

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avi
other crises, there is

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Mik
reason for both hope and
2021 was lived under the shadow anxiety. On the one hand,
of COVID. Perhaps more than any we have seen how huge economic
other time in recent memory, it was a resource can be mobilised quickly
year that starkly reminded us of the and fairly efficiently to tackle urgent
contrast between the experiences of problems. We all experienced the sense
those living in wealthier countries, of collective effort, good will and shared
who had access to vaccines and endeavour that characterised some of
testing that allowed some semblance our time living through the uncertainty
of normal life to return, and those of lockdowns and restrictions. And
in countries where vaccination we have seen some interesting and
programmes were unable to get important alliances formed – between
off the ground. Despite the logic political parties, between community
and global solidarity behind the groups and the private sector, between
oft-repeated mantra “no one’s government and academia. However,
protected until we’re all protected”, we’ve also seen the ugly nationalism
there remains too little political will and racism in vaccine hoarding. We’ve
behind a truly global vaccination seen the unrelenting focus on profit by
effort, with the poorest, particularly some, even at the expense of people’s
communities of colour, still struggling health. And we’ve seen the failure of
to secure the necessary healthcare. political leadership to seek to build a

ANNUAL REPORT 2021 3

 Families gather to discuss the ongoing case against Tate & Lyle in Koh Kong Province.
Andrew Ball / Panos / Global Witness

better, more equitable future out of the the first time that we are living through
global chaos wrought by the pandemic. a planetary crisis and committing to
action to protect people, our forests, our
There may be lessons to draw here oceans, and our biodiversity. However,
for Global Witness, as an organisation despite the proliferation of climate
firmly focused on the goal of addressing catastrophes in almost all parts of the
the underlying causes of the climate world, from forest fires to floods and
emergency and pushing for a just drought, and despite the overwhelming
transition to empower and prioritise evidence that the change in our climate
the voices, campaigns and solutions is causing famine, loss of home and
of the communities most affected habitat, mass migration, and poverty,
by extreme weather and unbearable too little is being done to address
temperature rises. the primary factors underpinning
Of course, the unsustainable rate of the problem. Profit is still prioritised
global heating was the other big story over people and planet, and the toxic
dominating 2021, with many political relationship between political leaders
centres round the world collectively and major polluting companies remains
recognising in public statements for a barrier to action.

4
I am proud of the impact Global Witness Alongside this, we launched our first
achieved last year to uncover the role ever podcast, bringing the stories and
the fossil fuel industry, big agribusiness campaigning experiences of these
and the financiers funding deforestation communities to a new audience,
played in the continued deterioration presented by Ugandan youth climate
of our climate, and our efforts to hold activist, campaigner and author,
those responsible to account. We have Vanessa Nakate. This sat alongside
highlighted just ten of these impacts in an unprecedented number of opinion
the next section of this review. pieces, films, quotes and photography,
intended to showcase the work of our
2021 saw a redoubling of our efforts partners, the challenges they face and
to work better in partnership with
organisations, campaigning groups
This year we released our Defenders of the
and activists from across the climate Earth podcast. Global Witness
movement, but particularly across the
Global South and most affected regions.
Our annual report on the killings of land
and environmental defenders set out
in clear terms the challenge we face to
ensure justice and human rights are
at the heart of efforts to defend the
planet. In 2020, we recorded 227 lethal
attacks – an average of more than four
people a week – making it once again
the most dangerous year on record for
people defending their homes, land and
livelihoods, and ecosystems vital for
biodiversity and the climate.

ANNUAL REPORT 2021 5

 Sônia Guajajara and Global
Witness’s Seema Joshi speak
at COP. Global Witness

the achievements they have secured. In summit in Glasgow. Delayed by a year,

June, we held a two day global event, the conference was rightly plagued
entitled Time for a Climate Revolution, by questions of legitimacy, given that
which featured 27 speakers from across so many climate activists, particularly
six continents, including US, UK, India, from Indigenous communities and
Chile, Uganda and Nigeria, sharing their representatives from countries feeling
campaigning experiences and asks the worst impacts of global heating,
for global leaders. It drew attendees were excluded from attending. We
from 32 countries and our wider sought to do what we could to bring
content reached 4 million people. We the anger and the calls for definitive
are committed to doing more of this, commitments to address the inequality
doing it better, and more intentionally at the core of the global response to
bringing these collaborations into the mitigating the impacts of the climate
way we work as we continue work to emergency to those gathering in
pursue our aim of achieving climate Scotland. Across our digital campaign
justice. over the two weeks of the conference,
which highlighted the toxic relationship
Nowhere was this more demonstrable between governments and big business,
than the organisation-wide effort to we featured 160 influential activist
galvanise change at the COP26 climate

6
A climate justice march organised by the COP26 Coalition took place in Glasgow. This was part of the
Global March for Climate Justice, with actions happening across the world.
ANNUAL REPORT 2021 7
 voices from across 15 different countries distracting and false narratives aimed
each carrying their own message to at blocking real action on climate.
world leaders. However, Russia’s brutal invasion
of Ukraine caused us to rethink our
During the conference we published plans. After we were approached by
new research exposing the outsized a group of Ukrainian diaspora to run
presence of fossil fuel lobbyists at the a campaign on Russian blood oil, we
event, showing that over 500 delegate swiftly recalibrated, moved staff from
passes had been provided to this group, across the organisation to build a new
collectively making it bigger than the team monitoring and exposing the
delegation of any other country – and companies helping fund Russia’s war
bigger than the combined total of the effort by trading in Russian fossil fuels.
eight delegations from the countries Since then, our work has contributed
worst affected by climate change in the to changes in policy from major
past 20 years. Our findings dominated companies, including Total, Shell, BP,
discussions across the second week of Exxon, P&I insurers and commodity
the conference and forced organisers, traders like Vitol and Trafigura. We have
including UN representatives and the also galvanised tens of thousands of
British COP president, to respond and people to join our calls for a robust oil
account for this decision. and gas embargo against Russia across
As we entered 2022, we, like other the EU.
organisations had plans to build on our This is a time of great worry – the
work of the previous year, particularly planet is overheating, more people are
our important campaign to continue to suffering the ill effects of the climate
hit the political capital of the big oil and crisis, inequality is becoming further
gas companies to stop their ongoing embedded, states and companies
role as a purveyor of misleading, are complicit in terrible human rights

8
abuses and conflict continues to rage, None of our work would be possible
including in Ukraine. However, it is without the incredible support of our
also a moment of great possibility. The funders. We want to thank you all for
climate movement is stronger and more backing Global Witness’s mission and
diverse than ever before, with the voices for providing us with the basis to move
of those most impacted finally being with agility to respond to emergencies
brought to the fore. The case for change where our expertise is needed and to
is being made through every possible seize fresh opportunities
avenue – uncovering those polluting as soon as they arise. In
or funding the destruction of our an era of considerable
planet, protesting against companies volatility and
attempting to delay or distract from the uncertainty, this is all
action needed, holding governments the more precious.
to account through protest or in courts Thank you!
of law, and persuading the public that
systemic change is required to the
way we live and consume. The war in
Ukraine has made some world leaders
question a future energy package which
continues to have the extraction and
burning of fossil fuels at its core as the
frantic scramble gets underway to move
away from the import of Russian oil
and gas, and companies are more often
called out for their greenwashing and
hypocrisy, including by Global Witness.

Still from the Climate Truths Who’s in the

Room? animation. Global Witness
ANNUAL REPORT 2021 9
 Intact forest in Acre state, Brazil,
November 2020. Lalo de Almeida/
Panos/Global Witness

Global Witness
Campaigns
and Impact
In our work, we fight to protect
the most climate critical forests
and those that defend them by
constraining the financing driving
their destruction. We help stop
the fossil fuel industries’ efforts to
secure even more taxpayers’ money
to bankroll projects that pose an
existential threat to life on our
planet. And we take on the corruption
of our political, economic and digital
systems that allow these things
to happen.

10
We are addressing these priorities through six mutually
reinforcing campaigns:

1. Stop the oil and gas industry escalating global warming

by making us dependent on gas

2. Reduce the destruction of climate-critical tropical forests

by constraining the financing of the industries driving it

3. Protect Land and Environmental Defenders by taking on

the industries most associated with attacks and killings

4. Tackle digital threats to democracy, particularly the role

of Big Tech social media firms

5. Ensure corporate accountability for environmental and

human rights abuse

6. Ensure that the current energy transition is fair and

responsible, serving people and the planet.

ANNUAL REPORT 2021 11

 Our major Tackling deforestation
impacts Irresponsible businesses,
in 2021: including financial institutions,
are driving the destruction of
We have achieved a lot
in 2021, both in terms climate-critical tropical forests,
of tangible changes to and the communities and
legislation and in building
the foundations for our
biodiversity that rely on them. We
longer-term campaigns. are campaigning to end the flow
Here we have highlighted of money to reckless businesses
10 of our most significant
impacts from the last - particularly damaging
12 months. agribusinesses - enabling this
deforestation.

Top: Palm Oil plantation, Papua New Guinea. Global Witness.

Bottom: Biodiversity in Acre state, Brazil, November 2020.
Lalo de Almeida/Panos/Global Witness
12
1
New legislation as it made its way through parliament
achieved in the UK – making the case for stronger
protections of Indigenous people and
In the UK, the Environment Act was local communities, addressing the role
formally adopted, including a provision of UK finance fuelling deforestation and
prohibiting UK companies from using tackling all deforestation, not just that
goods from illegally deforested land deemed illegal.
and requiring them to undertake due
diligence checks across their supply
chains. Global Witness was instrumental
in getting the UK government to
introduce this. We mobilised our
supporters and undertook advocacy
alongside other organisations, using
evidence gathered on UK links to
global deforestation through our
investigative work to influence
government Ministers and officials, as
well as parliamentarians. Our briefings
shaped debates, media coverage and
wider amendments on the draft law

Intact forest and biodiversity in Acre state, Brazil, November 2020.

Lalo de Almeida/Panos/Global Witness
 2
Company action Elsewhere, the beef giant JBS also
in response to our stopped working with two ranchers
Global Witness found had used slave
investigative findings labour, carried out illegal deforestation,
land grabbing, cattle laundering and
In October, we published a new
were involved in human rights abuses
investigation tracing palm oil from
against landless peoples. This followed
the forest-destroying Papua New
our engagement with the company,
Guinea plantations of East New Britain,
presenting them with the evidence
Bewani and Rimbunan Hijau through
we had compiled as part of our
global supply chains to products
investigations.
made by household brands including
Hersheys, Nestle, Kelloggs, Colgate,
PZ Cussons (which makes Carex and
Imperial Leather), Danone, Cargill,
Reckitt (Strepsils, Neurofen, Dettol,
Finish), AAK, Nestlé and General Mills.
The majority of companies named
responded by immediately
suspending relevant suppliers.

Land has been cleared for Palm Oil

plantations in Papua New Guinea.
Global Witness
14
3
Strong EU legislation in securing these sections of the
proposed supporting proposed law. We are now working with
our coalition partners to ensure the
Global Witness’s aims final version is as robust as possible.
We have also brought together a range
In November, our long-running
of NGOs, key MEPs and businesses to
campaign to stop goods entering
back our calls for the legislation to cover
the EU market that are derived from
deforestation finance.
deforested land made real headway.
Proposed legislation was published
which included provisions to end
products made from soy, beef, palm oil,
wood, cocoa and coffee contributing to
deforestation, and requiring companies
to undertake formal checks of their
supply chains to assess the risk they are Intact forest in Acre state, Brazil,
driving further destruction of tropical November 2020. Lalo de Almeida/
rainforest. Our advocacy work over Panos/Global Witness
many years along with other NGOs,
building allies, making the case for
legislation and using evidence gathered
via investigations into the EU’s links to
global deforestation was instrumental

ANNUAL REPORT 2021 15

 4
Companies investigated justified. It was the worst performing
of the audited companies for
In our December 2020 report Beef, deforestation, confirming the findings
Banks and the Brazilian Amazon we had of our report, at a time when Amazon
revealed that, between 2017 and 2019, deforestation is at its highest since 2006.
Brazilian beef giant JBS had bought As a result of these failures, JBS agreed
cattle from 327 ranches in the Amazon with prosecutors to pay almost
state of Pará that failed to comply with $1 million to the state of Pará, to
its legal no deforestation obligations. be spent on improving ranchers’
(JBS denied these allegations.) Since compliance with Brazil’s forest law.
then, federal prosecutors carried out an The new agreement obliged JBS
official audit of JBS’s cattle buying in to adopt more stringent controls,
Pará between 2018 and mid-2019, which mirroring one of our report’s
was published in October 2021. This recommendations. Prosecutors also
found 43.69% of the company’s audited announced an investigation into
purchases were not compliant with its JBS’s cattle purchases from one of
legal obligations, though JBS contested the ranches featured in our exposé.
11.7% of these, arguing they were

16
The supply chain linking beef to
Amazon deforestation, with banks’
backing. Global Witness
ANNUAL REPORT 2021 17
 Protecting Land and
Environmental Defenders
Land and environmental defenders play a crucial
role in protecting their land - and our climate -
against destructive business practices. Yet more
defenders than ever are being killed, while others are
threatened, criminalised and attacked. Our campaign
aims to protect defenders and ensure the businesses,
financiers and governments complicit in their harm
are brought to justice.

Members of the Ixquisis

Peaceful Resistance
against the San Mateo
Hydroelectric Project,
Guatemala. Global Witness /
James Rodriguez

18
5
Spotlight on our annual interventions calling for amendments to
Land and Environmental strengthen the provisions on Indigenous
people in the UK draft Environment Act.
Defenders report Later, in October, the report was relied
on by members of the US Congress to
Our 9th annual land and environmental
urge the US Secretary of Treasury and
defenders report, published in
US Secretary of State to apply sanctions
September, captured global attention,
against those responsible for attacks
shining a light on the violent threats
against environmental defenders.
facing land and environmental
defenders in key countries around the Significantly, this year, our report played
world. It continues to be widely used a critical role in highlighting Latin
as an important tool and resource America as one of the most dangerous
for policy-makers and influencers regions for environmental defenders
in this area, ranging from national and has helped build momentum for
parliaments and government agencies the adoption of the Escazu Agreement
to regional and UN bodies, civil society – the world’s first inter-governmental
organisations, donors and the media. agreement with provisions on human
For example, in September, three peers rights defenders in environmental
in the UK House of Lords, including matters applicable in Latin America –
Environment Minister Zac Goldsmith, which came into force in 2021. More
referred to the annual report in recently, the Parliament of Chile

ANNUAL REPORT 2021 19

 referred to our report in deliberations
to ratify the Escazu Agreement.

In 2021, for the first time, we also

created new ways of analysing
and presenting the data, making it
more accessible to the civil society
groups and journalists who use the
information in their own campaigning
or reporting on a regular basis. We
achieved widespread broadcast, print Fikile Ntshangase was murdered for
and digital media coverage, including a opposing a coal mine in South Africa.
15-minute interview slot for one of our Her daughter holds a picture of her.
Mexican partners and Global Witness’s Global Witness/Thom Pierce
CEO with CNN’s Christiane Amanpour.

20
6
Companies held which was passed with overwhelming
to account support, and secured a commitment
from trader Wilmar to introduce a new
Our report, ‘Seeds of Conflict’, exposed Human Rights Defender policy.
how global agricultural commodity
traders that export conflict-tainted
soy to Europe, including ADM and
Bunge, have contributed to human
rights abuses by soy producers against
a traditional community resisting
the expropriation of their lands in
the Brazilian Cerrado. This triggered
an investigation by ADM into our
findings and we continue to press
these global agri-commodity giants to
provide redress and prevent human
rights abuse and attacks on defenders
throughout their supply chains. We
also worked alongside partners to
secure a shareholder vote demanding
action by Bunge to tackle soy-driven
deforestation in the Brazilian Cerrado, Global Witness

ANNUAL REPORT 2021 21

 End the growth
of Fossil Gas
While much of the world
has woken up to the
7
Major blow to fossil fuel
dangers of oil and coal, lobbying efforts
gas production threatens for fossil hydrogen to be
to derail climate efforts. classed as ‘renewable’
We are standing up to In July, the European Commission
agreed not to include fossil
the fossil fuel industry’s hydrogen in its proposed reform of the
efforts to present fossil Renewable Energy Directive, achieving
gas as climate-friendly - one of our key campaign goals. The
fossil fuel industry had been pushing
and ensure governments for its inclusion, which would have
transition to genuinely allowed highly polluting fossil hydrogen
renewable sources of to be branded as renewable. Global
Witness led a coordinated advocacy
energy. effort bringing together NGOs, MEPs
and progressive parts of the industry
to ensure it was excluded from the
Commission’s proposal.

22
8
Blocking funding for new fossil gas infrastructure
In December, EU institutions agreed the final text for the revision of Trans-European
Networks - Energy (TEN-E) regulation. Over the course of the negotiations of
the regulation, we released multiple investigations on the harms of the EU’s
support for new gas infrastructure, lobbied decision makers in
the Parliament, Commission and Council, supported by an
integrated and responsive communications strategy. We
made significant progress in improving the regulation from
the previous version, though the end result fell short of
our objectives. As a result of our work, there will be no
new funding for dedicated fossil gas infrastructure
projects (for example new pipelines or import
terminals), with the exceptions of the proposed
East Med pipeline from Israel to Cyprus and
Greece, and the Melita pipeline from Sicily
to Malta.

All advertising and PR agencies must stand

up to climate-wrecking companies, by
refusing to work with them or peddle their
lies. Global Witness
ANNUAL REPORT 2021 23
Natural Resource Governance
Global Witness has long exposed how precious minerals
and other natural resources fuel conflict, prop up corrupt
regimes and enrich elites, leaving a legacy of environmental
destruction, human rights abuses and instability. We work
to hold the predatory international companies behind
these deals to account.

Convoys of dumptrucks are seen operating

at the “equal-profit” mining site area of
Myanmar Win Gate company Kachin
State, Myanmar. Global Witness
9
Sanctions secured and investigations, including two major
in Myanmar publications on the links between jade
mining and armed conflict, and the
Following the military coup in Myanmar Myanmar rubies being sold by luxury
in February, the EU, US and UK adopted jewellers across Europe and the US.
targeted restrictive sanctions on
Later, in October, the US Congress
individuals and entities that generate
introduced bi-partisan Burma
revenue for the military, including the
legislation that authorises further
military’s two conglomerates, Myanmar
sanctions against sources of military
Economic Holdings Limited (MEHL) and
revenue, including in natural resource
Myanmar Economic Corporation (MEC),
extractive industries, and individuals
and state-owned enterprises, including
who have committed or been complicit
Myanmar Gems Enterprise.
in ongoing atrocities, in line with
This was achieved, in part, through lobbying and text submitted by Global
the long-running advocacy we have Witness and our Myanmar civil society
pursued against those using profits from partners.
the country’s gem trade to fund conflict
and human rights abuses. Our work was
based on years of extensive research Chinese customers buy jade jewellery in
Jiagao market, Yunnan Province, China.
Global Witness

ANNUAL REPORT 2021 25

 A policeman blows the whistle to signal the end of the daily 2-hour period during which
freelance miners can work in the mining site of companies, here in the compound of Yadanar
Yaung Chi company, Hmaw Si Zar, Lone Khin, Hpakant, Myanmar. Global Witness

26
ANNUAL REPORT 2021 27
 Digital Threats to Democracy
Big tech and social media platforms depend
on a business model where profit is made
from stoking up anger and fear. Our data
is bought, harvested and manipulated.
Despite the serious consequences,
companies are subject to little
scrutiny. Our campaign aims
to change this and ensure
accountability for the harm done.

Still from explainer animation Climate

Truths How is disinformation fuelling the
climate crisis? Global Witness

28
10
Progress on a ban which otherwise will continue to
on targeted political amplify dangerous messages and do
so much damage in the offline world.
advertising To help achieve this result Global
Witness worked in close coalition with
This year, two European Parliament
others to influence the EU institutions,
committees called for a ban or
published major new polling to counter
substantial restriction on targeted
industry narratives, and released
advertising across digital platforms,
several hard-hitting investigations
as well as other key Global Witness
to expose the problem and need for
recommendations such as disclosure
regulation – including how Facebook’s
of the sponsor on advertisements
algorithm promoted violent content
and turning off profiling by default.
and misinformation in Myanmar, and
This is a step towards our aim for
approved incendiary political ads in
government regulation and oversight
Northern Ireland.
of social media companies - including
their recommendation algorithms,

ANNUAL REPORT 2021 29

 Spotlight on the UN Climate
Change Conference (COP26)
As our new climate-facing campaigns hit their stride, we used COP26 to
amplify our case for change across three core areas: exposing the corrupting
influence of the fossil fuel lobby; stopping the financing of deforestation; and
protecting land and environmental defenders. Across the two weeks of the
conference, we worked hard to bring these issues to the fore, as well as
highlighting the missing voices of so many Indigenous and youth climate
activists, including through:

> Exposing the fossil fuels lobby’s – There were over 500 fossil fuels
outsized presence at COP26 and lobbyists at COP26, collectively
holding the summit’s organisers to comprising a bigger delegation
account – our Data Investigations, Gas than any country.
and Communications teams acquired
a full list of the 28,000 delegates at – The fossil fuel lobby at the
COP26. Then, working with partner conference was larger than the
organisations, Stop Corporate Abuse, combined total of the eight delegations
Corporate Observatory Europe and from the countries worst affected by
Glasgow Calls Out Polluters, we climate change in the past 20 years.
arranged and analysed the data to – Fossil fuel lobbyists dwarf the
reveal that: UNFCCC’s official Indigenous
constituency by about two to one.

30
Berta Cáceres, Indigenous environmental
defender murdered in 2016 for defending
her ancestral land from a damaging
hydroelectric dam in Honduras. Her photo
projected opposite the building where
COP26 took place. Global Witness
 We released our findings in partnership are destroying forests. Many of these
with the BBC, which ran it as one of their banks have no-deforestation policies,
top three stories through the day. Other have committed to align with the Paris
outlets, including CNN, quickly picked goals or are signatories of the Soft
it up too. The attention prompted Commodities Compact. Yet, we revealed
questions to be posed by media to how major U.S., UK, EU and Chinese
COP26 President, Alok Sharma and the banks have, since the Paris Agreement,
UNFCCC Executive Secretary, Patricia collectively piled $157 billion into 20
Espinosa, on whether the number of notorious firms including Olam, Wilmar,
fossil fuels lobbyists exposed by Global Sinar Mas, JBS, Marfrig and Minerva,
Witness explained the lack of mention and likely made $1.74 billion as result.
of fossil fuel phase-out in the summit’s Financial giants who have repeatedly
draft outcome text. Shortly after this, profited from these deals include HSBC,
it was reported that senior figures from Deutsche Bank, JPMorgan, BNP Paribas,
two of the world’s biggest polluting Rabobank and Bank of China.
fossil fuel firms, BP and Shell, withdrew
their participation from side events they When governments and financiers
were due to speak at. announced a new deforestation pledge
on 1st November at COP, we were able
> Our case for regulation of to hold up our findings as a mirror
deforestation-financing banks both to the $19.2 billion package being
recognised by UK minister – a pledged, and the track record of banks
fortnight before COP26, we published promising, once again, to stop financing
the findings of a new investigation forest destruction. We made the case
– Deforestation Dividends – into that it will only be through robust
the banks and asset managers regulation – not headline grabbing
financing – and massively profiting commitments – that real change will
from –agribusiness industries that be generated, conveying this though

32
Projection in Glasgow commemorating the 1,005 Defenders who have been
killed since the adoption of the 2015 Paris Agreement. Global Witness

broadcast interviews, notably Voice against and harassment of land and

of America, Al Jazeera, Sky News, UK environmental defenders, we worked
Channel 4 News, and a wide array of with our partners and Indigenous rights
print media outlets, including Reuters. groups to stage a commemoration
of the 1,005 land and environmental
When challenged about our findings defenders killed since the Paris
by our Director of Campaigns, Seema Agreement. This featured speeches
Joshi, FCDO Minister Lord Goldsmith from activists from Ecuador, Peru and
admitted, for the first time in public, the Philippines, and a projection of the
that regulation would be needed if names of all 1,005 defenders on a big
finance continue to fund deforestation. screen opposite the COP26 venue. We
We were able to use this shift in position also provided access to COP26 passes
in our advocacy on the UK Environment to land and environment defenders
Bill and other secondary legislation. and activists to help them participate in
> Elevating the demands of land and what has been described as perhaps the
environmental defenders – Building least inclusive COP to date.
on the launch of our annual report
on the violence and discrimination

ANNUAL REPORT 2021 33

 An oil tanker chartered by shell docks at the Russian port of ust-luga on 14 March 2022.
Satellite imagery © 2022 maxar technologies

Step into 2022 –

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine
Like many, we watched in horror as and around 20% of its oil. Revenues
Vladimir Putin’s troops entered Ukraine, from oil and gas are paying for Putin’s
attempting to seize key cities and war in Ukraine. Since the invasion, the
ports. We saw the traumatic scenes of EU is estimated to have spent over €60
people fleeing their homes, families billion on Russian fossil fuels. Cutting off
broken up and the unmarked graves of this flow of finance as soon as possible
those killed. As has been clear across must be an essential part of any
the media coverage and statements international response to the crisis.
made by Ukrainian leaders, Europe’s
dependence on Russian energy exports In the three months since the invasion,
is making this war possible – Europe we have developed a new project aimed
gets around 40% of its gas from Russia at investigating and exposing the oil

34
and gas deals underwriting Putin’s Ustenko, economic advisor to President
aggression and pressuring the key Zelensky, who we have supported
players involved to end any profiteering to engage with a series of fossil fuel
at the expense of Ukraine’s people. This companies and their enablers to
aligns not only with our longstanding pressure them to end their trade with
campaign into the corruption and bad Russia, as well as on high profile media
deeds of the fossil fuel industry, but also interventions across the global press.
in our push for world leaders to finally
invest in long-term energy solutions We have developed our own system to
that will not only reduce dependence track the shipments of oil, gas and coal
on states with appalling human from Russia, identifying the ships, the
rights records, but also contribute insurers, the companies making the
to mitigating unsustainable global sales and the ports in which they are
warming. This work is built upon a due to be offloaded. We are sharing this
series of fast turnaround investigations data with Ukrainian technicians, who
and pieces of data analysis, aimed are doing some similar work, and other
at building public understanding NGOs operating in this space.
of the role fossil fuels are playing in This is, of course, a period of real flux
this conflict, supporting the case for and, one where politics, the media and
robust sanctions, and calling for an much of the public is focused on the
acceleration of the transition towards conflict, so the companies we expose
a green energy future. doing business with Russia do feel the
We have built up a network of partners need to respond. We quite quickly see
and activists, from across the climate policies and corporate approaches shift
movement and within Ukraine. In in response to the work we and our
particular, we have been advising Oleg allies are doing. For example,

ANNUAL REPORT 2021 35

 > In the first couple of weeks of the > Elsewhere, we have shone a
project, we put Chevron’s role in spotlight on the role of insurers
continuing to ship oil from Russian in enabling oil, gas and coal to be
ports under the spotlight, tracking the shipped out of Russia – via a piece
movements of tankers carrying their run by Bloomberg – which was swiftly
oil and exposing this in partnership followed by an announcement by
with the New York Times. Lloyds (one of the world’s biggest
insurers) that it would stop insuring
>Just hours after the CEO of Russian State’s Sovcomflot
TotalEnergies declared that his tanker fleet.
company was not “taking any more
Russian oil”, our research showed > In early May, our data and a letter
that two oil tankers chartered by Total we coordinated to be sent to the Shell
had picked up more than 1.4 million CEO from Ukrainian Government
barrels of Urals crude. Exposing this advisor, Oleg Ustenko, was used as
hypocrisy, alongside work from our the basis for a number of pieces, most
Ukrainian allies and partners, notably in the
exerted sufficient pressure to Wall Street
force Total to strengthen their Journal and
position on trading Russian oil. Bloomberg,
to expose the
> We have also worked with CNN ways the fossil
to reveal how international oil
and gas firms have paid close Igor Fedyk, Ukrainian
to $100 billion to the Russian journalist, asking
Government since Putin’s seizure international partners to
of Crimea in 2014. stop buying Russian Oil and
gas to stop funding Putin’s
war against Ukraine.
Global Witness
36
 EU level, we will be shifting our focus
to addressing the loopholes and gaps
in the agreement, the enforcement of
the sanctions being brought into force,
and pursuing legal avenues for holding
companies who continue to fund
Putin’s war efforts to account in the
court room.

This is fast-paced work, that we took

on without funding, responding to the
evolving situation. We are so grateful
fuel industry are getting round their to all those donors who have stepped
own commitments, including through in to help us develop this important
the shipping of blended oil, which workstream.
includes some part Russian oil. Just
10 days after the publication of these
pieces, Shell & BP announced they
would no longer trade Russian blended
oil. On the back of this, we were also
told the UK Government (and we think
others across the EU) are now looking at
developing a formal definition of ‘what
constitutes Russian oil’.

As we now look to have an oil

sanctions package agreed at the

ANNUAL REPORT 2021 37

Global Witness
 Thank you Grantham Foundation for the
Protection of the Environment
We appreciate every one of our donors Hopewell Fund
who make all our work possible.
Humanity United Action
Donors* Jane Thurnell-Read
Ackerman Family Fund Kenneth Miller Trust
Arcadia Fund – a charitable trust of The Kestrelman Trust
Lisbet Rausing and Peter Baldwin Laudes Foundation
Arcus Foundation Luminate
Ashden Trust Michael Hokenson
Bromley Carson Fund The Minor Foundation for Major
Brook Foundation Challenges
Camille Massey Nationale Postcode Loterij
CHARISMA Stiftung für nachhaltige Norwegian Agency for Development
Entwicklung Cooperation (NORAD)
Coles Medlock Foundation Oak Foundation
Department of Foreign Affairs and Oliver Hudson
Trade of Ireland Patagonia.com
DFID- Forests, Governance, Market Postcode Justice Trust, supported by
and Climate Programme players of People’s Postcode Lottery
Don Quixote II Foundation Quadrature Climate Foundation
European Climate Foundation Schaffner Family Foundation
Ford Foundation Silicon Valley Community Foundation
The Foundation to Promote Open Society Skoll Foundation
The Frederick Mulder Foundation Susan Gibson
Good Energies Foundation Swedish Postcode Foundation
38
Tilia Fund Christopher Mitchell (Chair)
The Waterloo Foundation Tony Stevenson
Wellspring Philanthropic Fund
Advisory Council
The William and Flora Hewlett
Bennett Freeman
Foundation
Misha Glenny (resigned December 2021)
*These are the donors that have given their
consent to have their gift acknowledged in Victor Lopez Illescas
our Annual Report. Camille Massey
Global Witness Boards** Bandi Mbubi
Arlene McCarthy OBE
Board
Christopher Mitchell
Patrick Alley
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Mabel Van Oranje (Chair)
Christine Kanu (appointed
14 December 2021) Edward Zwick
Juana Kweitel (Chair) Directors of Global Witness
Kirsty Lang (appointed 21 May 2021) Foundation (US)
Olanrewaju Famoru Suraju Patrick Alley (President)
(appointed 24 May 2021) Bennett Freeman (Treasurer, CFO)
Simon Taylor Stafford Matthews (resigned
21 July 2021)
Global Witness Trust
Jeremy Bristow ** Membership reflects period between
Caroline Digby (resigned January 2021 – December 2021
31 December 2021)

ANNUAL REPORT 2021 39

 Income and expenditure statement: For the year
ended 31 December 2021 (in £ thousands)
1%

6% 9%

INCOME
BY SOURCE Income by source
Governments
Trusts and Foundations
Individuals
Other NGOs and Multilaterals
Donated services and facilities

84%

INCOME BY SOURCE 2021 2021 2020 2020

£’000 % £’000 %

Governments 940 9% 1,734 15%

Trusts and Foundations 8,526 84% 7,926 70%
Individuals 591 6% 1,377 12%
Other NGOs and Multilaterals 11 0% 198 2%
Donated services and facilities 61 1% 164 1%
10,129 100% 11,399 100%
Expenditure
40
 13%

13%
Expenditure
EXPENDITURE
74% Campaigns
Indirect costs and governance
Cost of raising funds

EXPENDITURE 2021 2021 2020 2020

£’000 % £’000 %

Campaigns 6,647 74% 7,854 75%

Indirect costs and governance 1,192 13% 1,339 13%
Cost of raising funds 1,193 13% 1,280 12%
9,032 100% 10,473 100%

By campaign ANNUAL REPORT 2021 41

 15%

30%
8%
BY By campaign
CAMPAIGN Forests
10% Land and Environmental Defenders
Gas
Corporate Accountability
Digital Threats
18% Strengthen Natural
19% Resource Governance

BY CAMPAIGN 2021 2021 2020 2020

£’000 % £’000 %

Environmental and human rights research 9,193 100%

and campaigning

Forests 2,345 30%

Land and Environmental Defenders 1,383 18%
Gas 1,453 19%
Corporate Accountability 829 10%
Digital Threats 667 8%
Strengthen Natural Resource Governance 1,162 15%
7,839 100% 9,193 100%

42
The summarised financial statements are extracted
from the full statutory directors’ annual report and
financial statements which were approved by the
directors and signed on their behalf on 10 May 2022.

These summarised financial statements may not

contain sufficient information to gain a complete
understanding of the financial affairs of Global
Witness. The full statutory directors’ report, financial
statements and auditor’s report may be obtained
from www.globalwitness.org/en/about-us/
financial-statements/
Back cover: Protest at the Brazilian embassy
London against Marco Temporal which would
threaten Indigenous peoples in Brazil.
Global Witness

ANNUAL REPORT 2021 43

FIND THE FACTS
EXPOSE THE STORY
CHANGE THE SYSTEM
Challenging abuses of power to protect
human rights and secure the future
of our planet.

globalwitness.org

ISBN: 978-1-911606-66-6
August 2022

Global Witness is a company limited by guarantee

and incorporated in England (No.2871809).
© Global Witness 2022
44