A/HRC/44/56 local level, the socioeconomic vulnerabilities that pushed people into child labour, forced labour and human trafficking.27 B. Human rights defenders, civic freedoms and the role of businesses 74. The High Commissioner, the Working Group and the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders highlighted that attacks and killings of defenders were increasing, especially defenders of land and environmental rights in the context of logging, agribusiness, infrastructure projects and mining. Human rights defenders from all regions presented concrete cases, examples and testimonies of killings, disappearances and threats against them, demonstrating the ongoing violence and abuses endured in the context of business activities. They emphasized the urgent need for States to improve accountability and to prevent killings and abuses so as to allow human rights defenders to conduct their legitimate and crucial work. Moreover, mechanisms to protect human rights defenders, adopting a zero-tolerance policy for abuses against them, needed to be created and implemented. 75. The role of States in addressing imbalances of power between businesses on the one hand and local communities and human rights defenders on the other hand was stressed. States, businesses and investors had to see defenders as indispensable allies in understanding local needs and supporting sustainable and responsible business practices. The need to take urgent action to turn the tide of violence against human rights defenders was reiterated with the launch of the Zero Tolerance Initiative.28 76. Demonstrating that positive action was possible despite the very serious situation, the discussions on human rights defenders also featured examples of good practices by Governments, businesses, investors and financial institutions to prevent and address attacks against defenders who raised concerns about business-related impacts. Civil society organizations and human rights defenders recognized that some Governments and businesses were taking steps in the right direction. In follow-up to the previous sessions of the Forum, the Working Group, the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders and several non-governmental organizations issued a joint call for action to protect defenders speaking up against businesses’ impacts on people and the planet, while recognizing several positive examples.29 C. Corporate respect for human rights and the environment and climate justice 77. With the common understanding that climate change and environmental degradation had a negative impact on human rights all over the world, during the eighth session of the Forum two sessions were dedicated to the environmental and climate change-related harms linked to corporate activities. The objective was for future sessions of the Forum to include climate change as a cross-cutting business and human rights issue, given the relevant role of the Guiding Principles in climate mitigation efforts by States, businesses and other stakeholders.30 Agribusiness, mining and hydroelectric dam constructions were identified as major causes of water, soil and air pollution that were especially harmful to indigenous communities and to women and children in particular. Participants agreed that environmental degradation and climate change exacerbated inequality, poverty and marginalization. They noted that there was a need for action, including through the design, conceptualization and creation of new economic and business models, and that policy coherence on climate change was essential to moving forward. 27 See http://mneguidelines.oecd.org/Ending-child-labour-forced-labour-and-human-trafficking-inglobal-supply-chains.pdf. 28 See www.zerotoleranceinitiative.org/.www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx? NewsID=25416&LangID=E 29 See www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=25416&LangID=E. 30 For more information, see www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/Business/Pages/Climate-Change-and-theUNGPs.aspx. 16