Mining from an environmental justice perspective: report from EJOLT (Environmental Justice Organisations, Liabilities and Trade)
While world population increased 72 percent between 1970 and 2004, extraction of construction materials grew by 106 percent. The total consumption and extraction increased for practically all mineral resources – despite the buzz about decoupling the economy from natural resources use. In many countries of the world, a dramatic increase in extractive activities followed the adoption of neoliberal economic reforms with the promise of more economic growth. Against this background, this report explores contemporary mining conflicts at the crossroads of de-growth and environmental justice movements. This is done based on 24 real case studies from 18 different countries in 5 continents. The analysis helps us understand the links between mining conflicts, the quest for economic growth and the metabolism of economies as well as the role of ecologically unequal exchanges.
http://www.ejolt.org/2012/11/new-ejolt-report-mining-from-an-environmental-justice-perspective/
Recognising Sacred Natural Sites and Territories in Kenya: An Analysis of how the Kenyan Constitution, National and International Laws can Support the Recognition of Sacred Natural Sites and their Community Governance Systems
Published by: Institute for Culture and Ecology (Kenya), African BIodiversity Network & the Gaia Foundation
http://www.gaiafoundation.org/sites/default/files/documents/recognisingsacrednaturalsitesinkenya.pdf
Giving it Away: the Consequences of an Unsustainable Mining Policy in Colombia
Published by ABColombia
http://www.abcolombia.org.uk/downloads/Giving_it_Away_mining_report_ABColombia.pdf
Latin America Bureau Newsletter, MINING AND SOCIAL CONFLICT
This year has seen a seemingly endless tide of bad news about mining from every continent on the globe: reckless use of toxic chemicals; contamination and threats to the environment; draining or diversion of lakes and rivers; voracious demand for energy; construction of roads and railways to the detriment of vulnerable ecosystems; bitter and sometimes lethal labour conflicts; co-option of police and security forces to protect company facilities; the long-lasting social costs of wild-west style mining camps and towns. Notable, however, in many of the news stories has been the active role played by local communities, no longer willing to be passive bystanders in processes that threaten their future, nor to accept at face value the promises of jobs and development. Nowhere has this protest been more marked than in Latin America.
http://us4.campaign-archive1.com/?u=5f8879d7a66c38d978ce398c4&id=2820e13fb0.
EBRD’s new mining policy slammed by Bank Watch
Bank Watch’s report tears strips off the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) for the defective mining policy it published recently.
http://www.minesandcommunities.org/article.php?a=11990.
Torture at the Río Blanco Mine
The Peru Support Group (PSG) has published an academic case study examining human rights violations and community resistance to a mining project in northern Peru.
See http://www.statecrime.org/testimonyproject/peru.
Conflict in Bougainville
Kristian Lasslett writes on the Bougainville conflict at http://www.statecrime.org/testimonyproject/bougainville.