Created as a commission for The Guardian weekend magazine, The Defenders is a series of portraits of environmental activists around the world. Over a 3 month period in 2018, Thom Pierce travelled from South Africa to Mexico, Brazil, Colombia, India, The Philippines, Uganda and Turkey to photograph 9 defenders campaigning against issues as diverse as pollution, deforestation, poaching and indigenous land rights.

The stories are told in brief here, with thanks to Jonathan Watts for permission to use his words. The full stories can be read on The Guardian website. The links are below.

This project was generously funded by Global Witness and the UN Environmental Program. Since its initial publication it has been exhibited in London, Nairobi and Rio De Janeiro and continues to be published internationally.

Captions and stories by Jonathan Watts are available, email syndication.sales@guardian.co.uk