Written by Joseph Winters at Grist
Advocates hope to enshrine the rights of nature and Indigenous protections into law.
(XʷMƏΘKʷƏY̓ƏM (MUSQUEAM), SḴWX̱WÚ7MESH (SQUAMISH) and SƏLILWƏTAɬ (TSLEIL-WAUTUTH)/VANCOUVER, B.C.) First Nations in British Columbia are proactively working towards re-establishing sovereignty over their territories by introducing and exercising their own law-making authority to regulate and monitor mining on their own lands.
The following is the translated joint statement issued by the Union of Community Assemblies of Chubut, Argentina (UACCh), launching their third popular initiative "Chubut Sin Megaminería" ("No Megamining in Chubut"). The Assemblies are collecting signatures from residents in the province in an effort to present a bill which, if turned into law, could strengthen protections for water and the environment from the devastating impacts of industrial mining.
On January 21, 2022, the Union of Community Assemblies of Chubut, Argentina (UACCh) launched its third popular initiative, "Chubut Sin Megaminería" ("No Megamining in Chubut"). The Assemblies are collecting signatures from residents in the province in an effort to present a bill which, if turned into law, could strengthen protections for water and the environment from the devastating impacts of industrial mining.
Papua New Guinea is a part of the world that few Canadians ever think about. But for the people of Porgera, their lives have been shaped by the decisions of Canadian companies.
It’s hard to wrap your head around the atrocities that people in Porgera have suffered over the last thirty year. Environmental devastation. Murder as a matter of course. Hundreds of women and girls who have been raped.
After the mining company accepted $24 million from a coalition of groups in exchange for releasing mineral claims to the province of B.C., conservationists and First Nations are celebrating the end of potential exploration in an area known as the Doughnut Hole, an anomaly of unprotected land about half the size of the city of Vancouver that is completely encircled by Manning and Skagit provincial parks
Six Canadian NGOs and charities launch a parliamentary petition calling on the Canadian government to support a moratorium on deep seabed mining in international waters
Canadians call on the Government of Canada to join global citizens, scientists, governments, corporations, and financial institutions in supporting a moratorium or ban on deep seabed mining.
Join MiningWatch Canada, Oceans North and other organizations in calling for a moratorium on deep seabed mining in international waters. Sign the parliamentary petition we have co-sponsored. Canadian mining companies are on the forefront of efforts to extend mining and its harmful impacts into the world’s oceans. The Canadian government has been missing in action in international negotiations about the rules for mining of the seabed in parts of the ocean known as the Common Heritage of Humankind. All of humanity will suffer the impacts of further degradation of the ocean’s ability to sustain life on Earth, but the most immediate impacts on food security will be felt by many of the world’s most vulnerable island and coastal communities.
According to the OECD’s latest review (see chart), Canada ranks worst of all G7 countries in mineral efficiency, recycling and circular economy. It remains amongst the most material-intensive economies in the world. The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) estimates Canada’s domestic yearly material consumption at 28.8 tonnes per capita, higher than the United States (18.6 tonnes), twice the world and European averages (12.3 and 14 tonnes, respectively), and 14 times the average material footprint of low-income countries (2 tonnes).