Blogs
Our study case in the gold extraction in the Amazon forest by illegal miners.
1 What are the environmental impacts of this resource extraction? Short term In the long term, in terms of climate change?
1 The environmental impact of the extraction of resources has a long term impact in several examples like the one we are dealing which is illegal mining in Madre de Dios, they use dangerous chemicals like mercury which causes that the land is no longer fertile, The use of heavy machinery, the creation of cities without planning also contributes to climate change with the destruction of forests and deforestation that makes the reduction of CO2 capture, which causes the greenhouse effect, also pollution by mercury that being used in the extraction of gold is affecting the air and water , air when the mercury by-products spreads in the atmosphere, and in water when it contaminates the fish that will be eaten in the table of our homes, and affects our health in long term. Also the contamination of the rivers kills the aquatic way and in many cases it acidifies it producing methane by rotting dead beings.
2 Who benefits from this resource extraction? Who is at a disadvantage?
2 Those who benefit are the informal sellers, drug trafficking as they use gold for money laundering , as well as organizations engaged in the smuggling of fuels, mercury, chemicals, weapons and explosives, as well as certain politicians officials and officials who hold interests in the informal mining
Are affected:
- Native communities that use contaminated water as well as the fish they eat. - The whole country because illegal money produces corruption and creates the culture of easy and illegal money
- People who go to work in the mines because they do not know they are being poisoned
3 How does this relate to colonization?
3 It is related in the area of resource extraction and the exercise of powers, these are already economic reason. At the moment that industrialized countries wish to extract resources which have great demand for example: the gold, this causes that the lure for the money makes people in the producer countries to try to obtain them any place of our country , sometimes through illegal or environmentally damaging methods, the buyers countries should ensure their true origin.
4. What type of opposition / environmental preservation is carried out by the following groups, especially in this case contributes to climate change? Are any of them in conflict?
4 Illegal mining uses drug trafficking methods to silence its illegal acts, recurring to bribes, threats and sometimes to murder.
The indigenous communities propose that immigrants and miners have respect for themselves and their lands. Since indigenous communities must have a fertile place where they can sustain themselves by cultivating and being able to have an economy for consumption.
NGOs promote climate change adaptation measures to protect and improve the livelihoods of indigenous communities.
If government policies exist, laws are not enforced because they have lost authority and control over illegal mining and the institutions are not powerful enough to enact the laws.
The activists are in charge of fighting legal mining companies, but sometimes they forget to safeguard the environment and fight for their personal agendas.
