Dear EB reader,

Late last month, two Philippine environmental activists, Francisco Dangla III and Joxelle Tiong, were reportedly abducted off the street. They were found alive days later. The details remain unclear, but the incident appears to fit a trend of Southeast Asian activists being harassed – even killed – for defending their land and the environment.

A first of its kind Asean-wide agreement on what constitutes environmental rights and how to protect advocates is in the works. But details from earlier blueprints are being omitted, and the final deal – expected this year – may not hold weight if it is not legally binding, environmentalists say. We dive into what the first public draft of the declaration states and where it falls short in this week's lead story.

In India, some are concerned that climate change could take a backseat in the country's general election this month, even as polls are set to coincide with a heatwave. Boosting livelihoods is the central election issue, but climate deserves more attention, given how vulnerable the country's 1.4 billion people are to climate risks, observers note.

Policymakers today increasingly acknowledge that a clean, healthy and sustainable environment is a basic human right. But action appears to widely lag recognition of the concept, and until we bridge this gap, millions will remain exposed to harm and injustice.