Artisanal Gold Mining in the Amazon Basin: The Feasability of a Sustainable Extractivist Practice

背景亚马逊热带雨林正处于“临界点”，在这一点上，它将变成一个类似大草原的生态系统。然而，它也是巴西新一轮淘金热的竞技场，森林砍伐、土壤侵蚀和河流污染加剧了热带雨林的退化。这是由有利的政治时刻推动的，这需要放松环境立法，撤资负责控制采矿活动的政府机构，以及博尔索纳罗总统自己支持金矿开采的言论。此外，高失业率和不断上涨的黄金价格促使数千名工人来到亚马逊盆地，希望谋生。据估计，亚马逊地区约有16万名黄金矿工，其中许多人在土著土地和保护单位非法经营。除了对环境的影响，手工采金还通过汞中毒对人类构成威胁，同时还与针对土著社区的暴力、性剥削和类似奴隶制的工作条件有关。此外，它被证明是腐败、欺诈和洗钱等金融犯罪的沃土。尽管如此，民间社会和学术界仍在就ASGM是否有一个合法和可持续的模式的前景进行辩论，以发展当地社区，创造就业机会，推动经济发展。这些辩论主要围绕三个要素展开：一--ASGM的合法性/正规化；二--保护土著土地和养护单位；三--黄金加工中使用的剧毒汞的替代品--如《水稻田公约》所要求的那样。然而，在讨论可持续的ASGM时，其他负面方面，如土壤侵蚀、河流污染以及直接参与ASGM的人的观点，很少受到关注。目标/问题建议对文献作出贡献，采用全面和包容的研究方法，将人的因素置于中心舞台。通过听取参与ASGM的人的意见，这种以人为中心的方法希望照亮ASGM以前未被探索的方面，将人类体验带入研究的前沿。因此，考虑到将手工采金转变为促进亚马逊地区可持续发展的活动的前景，我问：ASGM的可持续模式将如何解决与传统黄金开采相关的问题，它将如何影响当地社区和工人？为此，制定了以下具体目标：1.调查可持续ASGM的例子及其在尝试过的地区的后果；2.了解其对亚马逊地区自然环境的影响；3.分析参与ASGM的工人的福祉；4.研究可持续的ASGM如何影响土著和传统社区；5.探讨在地方和国家两级通过年度会议实现可持续发展的可能性及其为联合国17项可持续发展目标作出贡献的潜力。方法一首先将进行一次彻底的文件审查，以了解目前对(联合国)可持续年度会议的理解，并将其置于亚马逊的背景下。半结构化访谈将在与非政府组织、联邦机构、土著社区和金矿工人进行实地考察期间进行。这些利益相关者访谈是该项目以人为中心和自下而上方法的关键，增加了他们自己的观点和与ASGM的联系。数据收集和分析的方法论办法以训研所关于“社会经济年度全球机制研究方法”(2018年)的建议为基础，该研究项目是与总部设在巴西的专门研究气候变化、全球治理和建设和平问题的研究机构Plataforma CIP“合作开展的。除了海外实地考察外，还需要进行高难度的语言培训。

ContextThe Amazon rainforest is at a "tipping point", at which it would turn into a savannah-like ecosystem. Yet it is also the arena of a renewed gold rush in Brazil, aggravating the rainforest's degradation through deforestation, soil erosion and river contamination. This has been fueled by a favourable political moment, which entails the laxing of environmental legislation, divestment in governmental agencies in charge of controlling mining activities, and president Bolsonaro's own rhetoric in favour of gold mining. Additionally, high unemployment and the rising price of gold have driven thousands of workers to the Amazon basin hoping to make a living. It is estimated that there are around 160,000 gold miners in the Amazon region, many operating illegally on Indigenous Land and Conservation Units. Beyond the environmental impact, artisanal gold mining (ASGM) also poses a threat to humans through mercury poisoning, while also being linked to violence against indigenous communities, sexual exploitation, and slavery-like working conditions. Moreover, it is proven to be a fertile ground for financial crimes such as corruption, fraud, and money laundering.Nonetheless, there is ongoing debate in civil society and academic circles about the prospect for a legal and sustainable model for ASGM that can develop local communities, create jobs, and propel the economy forward. Mostly, these debates circle around three elements: i- the legality/formalisation of ASGM, ii- the protection of Indigenous Land and Conservation Units, and iii- alternatives to the highly toxic mercury used in the processing of gold - as required by the Minamata convention. However, other negative aspects, such as soil erosion, river contamination, as well as the perspectives of the people directly involved in ASGM, receive little attention when discussing sustainable ASGM.Objectives / QuestionI propose to contribute to the literature with a holistic and inclusive approach to research that will place the human factor on centre stage. By listening to the people involved in ASGM, this human-centred approach hopes to shine a light on previously unexplored aspects of ASGM, bringing the human experience to the forefront of the research. Thus, considering the prospect of turning artisanal gold mining into an activity that promotes sustainable development in the Amazon region, I ask:How would a sustainable model of ASGM address the problems linked to traditional gold mining and how would it affect local communities and the workers?For this, the following specific objectives have been stipulated:1. To investigate examples of sustainable ASGM and the aftereffect in regions where it has been tried;2. To understand its impact on the amazonian natural environment;3. To analyse the wellbeing of workers involved in ASGM;4. To examine how sustainable ASGM affects indigenous and traditional communities;5. To explore the possibilities for sustainable development through ASGM at the local and national levels and its potential to contribute to the UN 17 Sustainable Development Goals.MethodologyI will initially carry out a thorough document review to capture current understandings of (un)sustainable ASGM and place it in the amazonian context. Semi-structured interviews will be conducted during fieldwork with NGOs, federal agencies, indigenous communities and the gold miners. These stakeholder interviews are key to the human centrality and bottom-up approach of this project, adding their own perspectives and association with ASGM. The methodological approach to data collection and analysis is underpinned by the recommendations made by UNITAR on "Socio-economic ASGM Research Methodology" (2018).This research project is in collaboration with Plataforma CIPÓ, a Brazil-based research institute dedicated to issues of climate change, global governance and peacebuilding. In addition to overseas fieldwork, difficult language training will be required.