(San Salvador/Ottawa) In a startling development driven by a groundswell of opposition to the social and environmental risks that mining poses to this Central American nation, El Salvador’s Legislative Assembly voted Wednesday to become the first country to ban mining for gold and other metals, in effect canceling any projects now in the pipeline.
(Cluj, Romania) - Mining Watch Romania activists were aggressed and abused by Deva Gold employees on last Tuesday. Their right of passage on a public road was obstructed following which company representatives verbally abused the activists and violently attempted to stop them filming this incident.
(San Salvador/Ottawa) Visiting this Central American nation on the eve of a historic vote on legislation to ban metallic mining, a government official from the Philippines is warning Salvadoran political leaders that the mining company trying to gain a foothold here has wreaked social and environmental havoc with its operations in the Philippines.
Thank you for your support! We will keep up the pressure on the Feds and Province to actually enforce the law. Sign the petition now!
Quick Update:
• The Federal Crown did proceed to stay (i.e. shelve) MiningWatch’s charges before we had a chance to present evidence of the damages from the spill to the Court.
(Ottawa, Canada and Porgera, Papua New Guinea) Before dawn on March 25, some 150 houses in the village of Wangima were burnt to the ground by Mobile Units of the Papua New Guinea police, according to reports from Akali Tange Association, a human rights organization in Porgera. Wangima is located inside the mine lease area of Barrick Gold’s Porgera Joint Venture (PJV) mine. The violent raid on the village occurred while people were sleeping.
Williams Lake (B.C.). As Federal Crown Prosecutors move today in B.C. provincial court to stay (i.e. shelve) MiningWatch’s private charges over the Mount Polley mine disaster, the mining watchdog is releasing the names of over 25,000 Canadians who have endorsed a petition urging the Trudeau government not to let those responsible off the hook for the biggest mining spill in Canada’s history.
25,000 Canadians Urge Trudeau Government to Act
Environmental law experts were in Ottawa today calling for a next-generation law to assess the sustainability of proposed pipelines, hydroelectric projects and industrial facilities. An independent panel appointed by the federal government is reporting to Catherine McKenna, the Minister of Environment and Climate Change, on March 31st, on its proposals for an environmental assessment law after spending several months hearing from people across the country.
Canadians show support for a new law and stronger environmental safeguards
OTTAWA – The report that the Expert Panel reviewing Canada’s environmental assessment law will release next week is critical to restoring public trust in how natural resources are developed, say environmental law experts.
The report is the result of the Expert Panel’s nationwide engagement, which gathered input from scientific and legal experts, Indigenous peoples, industry representatives and members of the public.
OTTAWA – A group of Canada’s leading experts on environmental assessment (EA) will speak to press on Parliament Hill on Tuesday about the key elements needed to strengthen federal decision-making in matters that affect the environment.
