 Globally, many development projects such as mining and dams are taking place where communities live. Often conducted top-down without understanding local needs, the projects can deprive communities of resources and trigger hazards such as landslides. This constitutes maldevelopment, an inequitable process of change that excludes and impoverishes local actors undermining their economic or political capabilities. This can bridge the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples whereby Indigenous Peoples are granted the rights to free, prior and informed consent for any interventions impacting their land and livelihoods. Despite challenges, local and Indigenous Peoples emerge as environmental human rights defenders. They protect their rights against maldevelopment, pursue traditional and sustainable practices and build community bonds to be more resilient against disasters. Thus, we must recognise and support the efforts of defenders as crucial contributors to disaster risk reduction.