Climate change is violent – the over 4,000 deaths in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria; the over 6 million deaths a year globally from air pollution; the hundreds of environmental defenders murdered every year for taking stands against environmental destruction. The violence of climate change and environmental injustice intersects with the structural violence of poverty and the daily violence in communities that comes with fighting for survival. Ending violence is not well integrated into the climate movement, yet it is the daily reality of our communities, and no solution is complete without ending violence. A sustainable planet means life is valued and protected, where Black lives, indigenous lives, women’s lives matter; where death from lung disease caused by air pollution, or death from climate disaster, or death from the bullet of an oil company’s paramilitary, or death from the bullet of an untrained police officer, are all unacceptable and are all met with powerful movements for justice. This panel will explore the daily impacts of pollution on vulnerable communities and how global warming, drought, and other environmental stressors are playing a greater role in fanning the flames of civil conflicts. We will hear from environmental defenders that have faced incredible challenges and tremendous adversity in fighting for our planet.