More About Mining

Ecuadorian Indigenous People File Legal Action Over Rainforest Mining Project

Controversial project led to forced evictions and a state of emergency in 2016

The Shuar Indigenous people of Ecuador's southeastern Amazon-Andean corridor took legal action against the government today in Quito over multiple violations of their collective rights related to the San Carlos Panantza mining project.

Defending Rights, Building Unity, and Protecting the Amazon Sacred Headwaters

In the remote, roadless rainforest territories along the border between Ecuador and Peru, over a dozen indigenous nationalities have launched an initiative to permanently protect about 60 million acres from industrial extraction and stop the drivers of deforestation. Dubbed the Amazon Sacred Headwaters, the initiative seeks to present a united front against the pressures on these indigenous territories and address climate change by keeping forests standing and fossil fuels in the ground.

Bolsonaro Wants to Plunder the Amazon. Don't Let Him.

The Brazilian president's pro-business agenda will be a test of American companies' commitment to the environment.

Mr. Bolsonaro's rise to power will test companies' promises to be responsible. Will leading global agribusiness companies be complicit in Mr. Bolsonaro's assault on the Amazon and its people, thus sacrificing their commitments, their reputation and our climate? And will financial institutions like BlackRock heed their own calls for companies to pursue purpose and not just profit? Or will they put short-term profits ahead of the planet's future?

Jair Bolsonaro Launches Assault on Amazon Rainforest Protections

Executive order transfers regulation and creation of indigenous reserves to agriculture ministry controlled by agribusiness lobby

"There will be an increase in deforestation and violence against indigenous people," said Dinaman Tuxá, the executive coordinator of the Articulation of Indigenous People of Brazil. "Indigenous people are defenders and protectors of the environment."

Adapt to a Changing Amazon Now, or Pay Far Higher Price Later, Experts Say

A new study estimates the costs of delaying adaptation to a hotter, dryer Amazon would be orders of magnitude higher than acting now, despite uncertainties

The costs of acting now to adapt to a predicted, dramatic loss of Amazon rainforest would be at least one order of magnitude lower than the economic fallout if we waited and did nothing, a new study says.

Illegal Gold Rush Destroying Amazon Rainforest

Researchers identified at least 2,312 illegal mining sites across six countries in South America using satellite imagery and government data

"Illegal mining is a serious threat to the Amazon rainforest and the indigenous peoples who call it home," said Moira Birss of Amazon Watch, a U.S.-based non-profit group. "This report provides important new data and clearly demonstrates the scope of the problem, and as such is a call to action to regional governments and the companies that purchase the illegally-mined minerals to take bold, concrete action to stop the destruction."

The Voices of Amazon Women and a Visionary Declaration to Protect Indigenous Lands

"The Amazon Rainforest ecosystems are vital lungs of the Earth. Thus, the justice and well-being for the people of Sarayaku is inseparably tied to the fate of all people worldwide."

Ecuador's Indigenous March Over 600km to Demand an End to Mining

Indigenous groups call on government to halt development projects in Amazon, saying they threaten food, land and water

"They're still in the construction phase and the environmental impacts are very severe," said Carlos Mazabanda, Amazon Watch's Ecuador Field Coordinator." More than 1,200 hectares of primary forest were clear-cut for the mine, which has affected rivers, aquatic life and indigenous communities' access to water."

US Funds with Big Amazon Farming Stakes Face Bolsonaro Choice

Finance to be "very important" tool if Brazil’s government strips Amazon protections, say researchers

Amazon Watch is running a campaign against BlackRock for its investments in companies that cause deforestation in the Amazon. In the past, BlackRock CEO Larry Fink has called on companies to invest with social and climate impact in mind.