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Greenwash Gold on Resonance FM

Richard — Wed, 23 May 2012 16:59:16 +0000

This Clear Spot from April 26th asks which dodgy company most deserves the Greenwash Gold medal in 2012? Who is covering up environmental destruction and devastating communities while pretending to be a good corporate citizen by sponsoring the Olympic games? With so many controversial companies providing sponsorship, it’s a pretty tough call to make, but London Mining Network, UK Tar Sands Network and Bhopal Medical Appeal have shortlisted three and are enlisting your help to choose who gets the dishonour. Crammed into this programme, you will hear representatives of impacted communities from Mongolia, Utah, Canada, the Gulf Coast, West Papua and India telling stories as to how the sponsors of “the most sustainable Olympics ever” have devastated lives and livelihoods all over the world.

Go to http://soundcloud.com/platformlondon-1/greenwash-gold-on-resonance-fm.

See the Greenwash Gold website at http://www.greenwashgold.org/ and vote for the worst Olympic sponsor!

Will London 2012 glitter as the fair play Olympics?

Richard — Wed, 23 May 2012 16:57:08 +0000

This week the International Olympic Committee (IOC) is meeting in Quebec City. There is some irony to the venue of this meeting which may not be obvious to all Metro readers. The UK-based mining giant Rio Tinto is the official Olympic supplier of the metal used to make the 2012 Olympic medals, providing 99 per cent of the gold and other metals. However, the company is caught up in controversy with trade unions and environmental campaigners arguing that its practices go against the Olympic spirit.

See http://blogs.metro.co.uk/olympics/will-london-2012-glitter-as-the-fair-play-olympics/.

Mineral-Rich Mongolia Rapidly Becoming ‘Mine-golia’

Richard — Wed, 23 May 2012 16:56:02 +0000

Mongolia, the land of Genghis Khan and nomadic herders, is in the midst of a remarkable transition. Rich in coal, gold and copper, this country of fewer than 3 million people in Central Asia is riding a mineral boom that is expected to more than double its GDP within a decade. The rapid changes simultaneously excite and unnerve many Mongolians, who hope mining can help pull many out of poverty, but worry it will ravage the environment and further erode the nation’s distinctive, nomadic identity. Much of the focus these days is on Oyu Tolgoi, a mega-mine in Mongolia’s South Gobi province, about 50 miles north of the Chinese border. The mine — owned by international mining giant Rio Tinto, Canada’s Ivanhoe Mines and the Mongolian government — is scheduled to produce its first copper ore in June and grow dramatically over the next five years.

See http://www.npr.org/2012/05/21/152683549/mineral-rich-mongolia-rapidly-becoming-minegolia.

Mongolia backtracks on state ownership of mining companies

Call it “resources nationalism” if you wish – or simply an attempt by government to secure the best possible returns from leasing out its mineral properties. In any event, political debate in Mongolia over terms of entry by foreign companies to its huge mining deposits, has wildly swung between extremes over the past few years. Now it seems that, if the present ruling party wins elections in June, all pretense at “capturing extractive wealth” for the people will have been virtually abandoned. This may be good news to Rio Tinto, involved at the Oyu Tolgoi copper-gold mine.

See http://www.minesandcommunities.org/article.php?a=11701.

VIDEO: Embera indigenous people say ‘no’ to Rio Tinto associate in Colombia

Richard — Wed, 23 May 2012 16:54:32 +0000

Careperro Mountain (“Haykatumá in the indigenous Embera language,) is one of the most sacred and important sites for the Embera culture. Beneath this mountain, lies gold, copper and other minerals. London-listed Rio Tinto is associated with the companies conducting exploration there.

See http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=750jClHAJmM&feature=BFa&list=UUu_aw9s-qZtPhkr8UnRB1_g.

For background, see http://londonminingnetwork.org/?s=mande+norte.

Australia’s mining reforms have gone distinctly “down under”

Richard — Wed, 23 May 2012 16:36:53 +0000

The Labor-held federal Australian government recently presented its much-awaited 2012 budget. And what a mess of potage it turns out to be! According to Rob Burgess of the Business Spectator, the country’s mining sector “currently accounts for 30 per cent of ‘gross operating surplus’ – its basic approximation of who’s making all the money in this country.” Miners pay only 15 per cent of company tax at present, and they were expecting a further cut in the tax, ostensibly to promote more jobs. But this hasn’t materialised. For the cut was “to come out of the revenue that the government speculates can be raised from the minerals resource rent tax [MRRT].” Now, it seems, the MRRT itself has just about bombed. This affects, among others, Anglo American, BHP Billiton, Rio Tinto and Xstrata.

See http://www.minesandcommunities.org/article.php?a=11692.

Protesters want Rio Tinto off the Olympic podium

Richard — Fri, 11 May 2012 17:21:15 +0000

A protest against London 2012 sponsor Rio Tinto, which has supplied the metal to make the Olympic and Paralympic medals, welcomed the company’s shareholders yesterday in Brisbane, Australia, where the Australian annual meeting of the company’s board was taking place.

See http://www.mining.com/2012/05/10/olympic-games-protesters-attack-rio-tinto-in-canada-and-australia/.

London Calling muses on the future of Mining’s Giants

Richard — Fri, 11 May 2012 17:11:55 +0000

Two of the world’s three biggest mining companies – BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto – are currently “dialing down their risks and the pace of their previous dash for growth”. This is in order that they can “adjust to the evolving near to medium-term environment and…focus their spending on the projects with the strongest medium-term returns.” At least that’s the view of Stephen Bartholomeusz, one of the most astute commentators on the mineral industry.

See http://www.minesandcommunities.org/11679.

Rio returns to PNG

Richard — Fri, 11 May 2012 17:08:26 +0000

RIO Tinto has joined the growing ranks of major miners lured to Papua New Guinea. It did not make any grand announcements on the matter but has picked up at least three tenements.

See http://www.pngindustrynews.net/storyview.asp?storyid=8682927&sectionsource=s0…
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Indigenous and Afro-Colombians of Jiguamiandó – Rights are Upheld

Richard — Fri, 11 May 2012 17:06:42 +0000

The Colombian Constitutional Court has once again reaffirmed the suspension order made on Muriel Mining Corporation’s Mandé Norte Project in Chocó. Rio Tinto, one of the world’s largest mining corporations (and registered on the London Stock Exchange), has an 80% option on exploitation and has been the major contributor to bankrolling the exploration phase of the Mandé Norte Mining Project.

See http://www.abcolombia.org.uk/subpage.asp?subid=463&mainid=23.

BP, Dow Chemical Sponsoring the “Greenest Ever” Olympics, and UK Enviros Aren’t Having It

Richard — Fri, 04 May 2012 19:11:39 +0000

Ever since the fleet-footed runners and chariot races of ancient Greece, ethics have been at the root of the Olympic games. There’s an Olympic oath, creed, and hymn. And then there’s the torch, which has come to represent purity or goodwill, depending on who you ask.

So, in the spirit of Olympic integrity, London—which will host the summer Olympics this July—has promised to prepare for its games with an eye towards environmentalism, making London 2012 “the greenest Games ever.” Just one problem: three of the Olympics’ official sponsors—BP, Dow Chemical, and Rio Tinto—are all currently embroiled in lawsuits over alleged commission of large-scale environmental harms.

See http://www.motherjones.com/blue-marble/2012/04/green-olympics-london-2012-bp-dow-greenwash?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Feed:+motherjones/TheBlueMarble+%2528Mother+Jones+%7c+The+Blue+Marble%2529.

Bougainville Copper’s bloody “hidden past” exposed: Rio Tinto must address abuse claims, says criminologist

Richard — Fri, 04 May 2012 19:08:46 +0000

Debate continues raging over the role played by Rio Tinto’s subsidiary Bougainville Copper Ltd (BCL) in the decade-long war waged by Papua New Guinea “security” forces on the people of Bougainville from 1988 onwards.

One of the key proponents of the company’s innocence is major BCL stockholder, the highly-irascible Axel Sturm. In his latest broadside, Sturm accuses Ulster University criminologist, Kristian Lasslett, of using his “academic position as a platform for indoctrination and agitation.”

In fact Mr Lasslett’s critique of the company’s complicity in human rights abuses, during the first 15 months of the bloody conflict, is quite measured. And it’s based on compelling evidence which BCL shareholders – not to mention Rio Tinto itself – would do well to urgently address.

See http://www.minesandcommunities.org/article.php?a=11665.

See also BCL keen to reopen mine, http://www.thenational.com.pg/?q=node/32323.

Tribe Appeals To United Nations Over Rio Tinto Mine in Michigan

Richard — Fri, 04 May 2012 19:06:53 +0000

A tribe in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, USA, is appealing to the United Nations in an effort to restrain sulphide mining.

The tribe hopes to strengthen its position through an international agreement signed by the Obama Administration. The Keweenaw Bay Indian Community says mines that produce sulphuric acid can pollute the water and threaten places sacred to tribes in the Great Lakes.

The Keweenaw tribe fought Rio Tinto subsidiary Kennecott’s Eagle Mine, a new copper and nickel mine under construction in Marquette County.

See http://ipr.interlochen.org/ipr-news-features/episode/tribes-appeal-united-nations-over-mines/2012-05-02.

Action: Tell the United States Congress and President Barack Obama: Pass a moratorium to stop sulfide mining in the Great Lakes watershed!

Sign the petition at http://www.change.org/petitions/the-united-states-congress-and-president-barack-obama-pass-a-moratorium-to-stop-sulfide-mining-in-the-great-lakes-watershed?utm_medium=facebook&utm_source=share_petition&utm_term=autopublish#.

London2012: an Olympian exercise in corporate greenwashing

Richard — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 14:30:50 +0000

Amidst its lofty rhetoric about excellence and sustainability the London Olympics have chosen some of the world’s most unethical companies as corporate sponsors. Phil England presents powerful first-hand testimonies from victims and campaigners dismayed and angry at this betrayal.

See http://ceasefiremagazine.co.uk/london2012-olympian-exercise-corporate-greenwashing/.

UK Parliamentary motion supports Greenwash Gold campaign

Richard — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 14:06:59 +0000

If you live in the UK, please ask your MP to sign Early Day Motion 2951:

Greenwash Gold 2012

‘That this House welcomes the launch by Bhopal Medical Appeal, London Mining Network and UK Tar Sands Network of the Greenwash Gold 2012 awards exposing the record of environmental destruction and human rights abuses of the companies BP, Rio Tinto and Dow, which are major sponsors of the 2012 Olympics; and urges the Olympic authorities to bring forward reforms of the process by which Olympic sponsors are selected so that known polluters and human rights abusers are never allowed to tarnish the image of the Olympics again.’

Primary sponsor: John McDonnell, tabled: 16/04/2012. View the EDM at http://www.parliament.uk/edm/2010-12/2951.

Visit the Greenwash Gold 2012 website at http://greenwashgold.org/ and cast your vote for the worst Olympic sponsor.

UK Parliamentary motion challenges Olympic sponsors

Richard — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 14:05:43 +0000

If you live in the UK, please ask your MP to sign Early day motion 2969:

ETHICAL TRADING STANDARDS AND THE LONDON 2012 OLYMPICS

“That this House is concerned about press reports that UK Olympians will be asked to wear sporting equipment produced by exploited child labour; is further concerned that successful Olympians will be presented with medals produced by multi-national company Rio Tinto who have locked out their entire workforce in Alma, Quebec without any serious consultation; and, therefore calls on the Government and the Olympics governing body to ensure that ethical trading standards will be maintained during a hopefully successful Olympics in the UK.”

Primary sponsor: Jim Sheridan

See http://www.parliament.uk/edm/2010-12/2969.

Please also ask your MP to sign EDM 2951 – see http://londonminingnetwork.org/2012/04/uk-parliamentary-motion-supports-greenwash-gold-campaign/.