Global community list Atewa forest mining as a “high risk” company after company COVID-19 | Social

More than 260 organizations around the world have petitioned the Chinese Ministry of Commerce and copied more than 10 Chinese institutions not to include projects that directly affect local environments, communities and livelihoods, in their financial support COVID- 19.

This, they said, was due to pre-existing risks and controversies before the start of the pandemic and, if carried out, some of the projects would damage and destroy increasingly fragile and remaining forests, marine, deserts, rivers, or other intact ecosystems, and the people who depended on them.

The Chinese Ministry of Commerce and the China Development Bank (BDC) jointly issued a “Notice on the status of the COVID-19 pandemic and the development of financial services to support high-quality joint construction of the Strip and road”.

But in a letter to the Chinese authorities, the more than 260 organizations of which A Rocha Ghana is one, identified 60 projects as ‘High Risk Projects’ of which planned bauxite mining in the Atewa forest that was being carried held by the Ghana Integrated Aluminum Development Corporation it was part.

The letter stated that the COVID-19 pandemic exposed the fact that international cooperation and transparency were crucial to ensure and maintain a healthy planet.

“COVID-19 has painfully highlighted how climate change and biodiversity loss hinder humanity’s ability to effectively combat pandemics, and it is clear that preventive protection of the natural world plays a critical role in controlling future outbreaks” .

The organizations said that, in rating “high quality” projects, they believed that environmental and social problems, such as consultations with the local community, are carried out in accordance with Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) standards, according to the 169 Convention of the International Labor Organization and the United States. United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

“Environmental impact assessments are robust, credible, comprehensive, transparent, assess the full range of alternatives available and take into account cumulative impacts, and project developers and financiers institute strong, accessible and clear channels of communication with all stakeholders relevant premises “.

Among the problems are that all relevant project information, such as pre-feasibility assessments, environmental impact assessments, project information and other relevant information, must be disclosed (in the appropriate local language) to affected communities and stakeholders and allow public opinion and participation from the early planning stages to enable better inclusive decision making.

“Projects must also comply with international standards and best practices, which include; Existing Chinese green financing policies, such as the Green Credit Guidelines, projects should not have a negative impact at the international level (i.e. those protected by international conventions such as World Heritage, Ramsar) or national protected areas, areas key to biodiversity and forests and primary or ancient projects. You should not block free-flowing rivers, biological corridors, or migratory routes of animals listed by conventions on migratory species (Bonn Convention).

“Projects must not contribute to the extinction of threatened species (therefore, according to the IUCN Red List), projects must not trigger or exacerbate internal, transboundary, political, ethnic, labor, religious or intra-community conflicts and projects. it must not lead to massive or involuntary displacement of local or indigenous communities, and it must not invade cultural and religious sites. “

A Rocha Ghana and several NGOs in Ghana believe that bauxite mining in the Atewa forest is not eligible for Chinese financial support COVID-19 or is only eligible, if all design and implementation concerns are not addressed. adequately and effectively to the satisfaction of the locals. communities and stakeholders.

In essence, high-risk projects are based on criteria identified in the announcement by the Ministry of Commerce and CBD that “high-quality” projects comply with local laws and have “controllable risks”, of which the Project of Bauxite Mining Atewa itself not found.

“Extraction of bauxite from the Atewa forest will not contribute to a healthy recovery in the global economy, and may even intensify environmental factors, such as loss of biodiversity, climate change, habitat destruction, loss of primary forests and disruption of free-flowing rivers, increasing the likelihood of recurring global pandemics in the future.

“Ghanaian NGOs are calling on the government to exclude the Atewa forest from bauxite mining to ensure crucial water supply services, biodiversity protection and climate mitigation.”