Right now Mongolia has one of the world’s fastest growing economies because of the minerals it owns, but nearly a third of the population still lives in poverty. Mongolia could become one of those countries that suddenly became very wealthy but its people remained very poor, the so-called ‘resource curse.’ But you can help break the curse.
The World Bank and European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) will soon decide whether to fund a massive gold and copper mine in the Gobi Desert that could generate billions in revenues for the country. But in its current shape, the project will damage the environment and destroy the livelihoods of the local people that call the area near the mine home.
But there is still hope! We must convince the banks to improve the project by including measures that protect the climate, biodiversity and water for the people who rely most on those resources.
Help raise a loud and a unified public voice that demands that the project brings real benefits for those most impacted. See https://www.change.org/petitions/make-mining-in-mongolia-sustainable#share.
London Mining Network is part of an international alliance of organizations calling on the EBRD to think again about financing this project. To read our recommendations, click here: Key Recommendations_EBRD_Final.
There are already problems with arsenic contamination in local water. As you can see in this PDF report:
Survey of Arsenic in Drinking Water in Mongolia
The satellite images below show the increase in waste produced by the mine between mid-December 2012 and mid-January 2013.
