{"id":151231,"date":"2020-01-06T12:00:34","date_gmt":"2020-01-06T12:00:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/?p=151231"},"modified":"2020-01-13T10:38:09","modified_gmt":"2020-01-13T10:38:09","slug":"how-a-rising-anti-mining-movement-is-challenging-portugals-white-gold-rush","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/2020\/01\/how-a-rising-anti-mining-movement-is-challenging-portugals-white-gold-rush\/","title":{"rendered":"How a Rising Anti-Mining Movement Is Challenging Portugal\u2019s \u2018White Gold\u2019 Rush"},"content":{"rendered":"

19 Dec 2019 – Throughout Portugal, people are organizing to stop a boom in lithium mining, as the government rushes to become Europe\u2019s top supplier of the valuable mineral.<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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A protest against lithium mining in Lisbon on Sept. 21. (WNV\/Lusa\/Ant\u00f3nio Pedro Santos)<\/p><\/div>\n

The global transition to renewable energy and electric vehicles \u2014 technologies that are currently powered by lithium-ion batteries \u2014 is creating a high demand for lithium, popularly known as white gold, among other minerals. In Portugal, where some of the largest\u00a0reserves of lithium<\/a>\u00a0in Europe are located, the government recently launched a\u00a0strategy<\/a>\u00a0to increase mining and supply of the mineral for this emerging market. However, residents and organizations throughout the country are questioning the impacts of that large-scale mining plan and who will really benefit from it.<\/p>\n

\u201cLithium mining in Portugal involves large open-cast mines that rip open huge tracts of land-destroying soils and ecosystems,\u201d said Laura Williams, a resident based in central Portugal, who is having to deal with lithium mining activities on her doorstep. \u201cIt uses huge amounts of water in the processing, which then contaminates ground and river water. The huge machines that are used have a massive impact in terms of noise and vibrations on local communities.\u201d<\/p>\n

Awareness Raising<\/strong><\/p>\n

In August, Williams helped to organize a creative protest at the highest point in mainland Portugal, on Serra Da Estrela Mountain. About 400 residents gathered to create an art image with their bodies \u2014 of a tree and water circle \u2014 to send a collective message: \u201cNo to Mines, Water is Life.\u201d The\u00a0demonstration<\/a>\u00a0was filmed with drones and distributed across the media to raise awareness about the environmental and social impacts of mining for lithium and other minerals, which are often not officially disclosed.<\/p>\n

\u201cI do not campaign on this issue simply to get mines out of Portugal and send them somewhere else,\u201d Williams explained. \u201cFor me, the real issue is that attempting to solve an ecological problem with a solution that involves more extraction \u2014 in this case, mining for lithium to make electric cars to reduce CO2 emissions \u2014 is not a solution. In fact, it is heading in the opposite direction of what is called for at this time: to protect and restore ecosystems.\u201d<\/p>\n

In the last three years alone, Portugal has received hundreds of requests for prospecting and exploration of lithium by national and foreign companies. Today it is estimated that lithium prospecting already covers\u00a0more than 10 percent<\/a>\u00a0of the country\u2019s territory. And in some cases, proposed areas of exploration are adjacent to protected or classified sites, which is fueling opposition.<\/p>\n

In the Serra da Estrela region, for example, several requests for the prospecting of lithium and other minerals were recently made. However, the area is surrounded by sites of cultural, ecological and geological importance, such as the Serra da Estrela Natural Park, which is in the process of being\u00a0classified<\/a>\u00a0as a Global Geopark by UNESCO. As a result, four local organizations issued a\u00a0joint written statement<\/a>\u00a0to express their \u201cdeep concern\u201d and reasons for opposing the mining interests in that area. The groups also declared that they are preparing to give \u201cmore rigorous and detailed technical advice on this issue\u201d and urged the local authorities to make their position clear as well.<\/p>\n

Community Organizing<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cWe have been working in unison with other associations that are struggling with the same problem,\u201d said Maria do Carmo Mendes, a member of the Guardians of Serra da Estrela, one of the groups confronting mining in\u00a0sites of community importance<\/a>. She said that the group has already sent a letter of complaint to the Directorate General for Energy and Geology, the administration that oversees mining developments in Portugal. And together with other local organizations, they are pressuring the directorate for \u201cabsolute transparency in the process of granting mining licenses,\u201d in addition to having an outside entity conduct environmental impact studies before a decision is made.<\/p>\n

In the north of Portugal, in a rural town called Covas do Barroso, a group of residents has united to defend their land and livelihoods from big mining interests. They came together after finding out about requests for open-pit lithium mining in their area, which is\u00a0classified<\/a>\u00a0as a Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization. A spokesperson from the Association United in Defense of Covas do Barroso, announced that the local community realized they would have to fight \u201cpowerful economic and political interests.\u201d Therefore, they decided \u201cto unite and speak in unison\u201d to ensure that the rights and needs of the community are respected.<\/p>\n

The group has been working to educate the community and has organized protests to persuade the national government to withdraw lithium prospecting concessions in Covas do Barroso, which is already causing environmental and social problems. Last month, after a visit from the state secretary for energy in the City Hall of Covas\u2019 municipality, dozens of residents surrounded the secretary\u2019s vehicle making it difficult for him to leave. As they held posters with messages against lithium mining in the area, protesters\u00a0shouted<\/a>: \u201cNo to the Mine, Yes to Life.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Around 400 people participated in this aerial art action\u00a0on Serra da Estrela mountain, the highest point in mainland Portugal, to protest lithium mining on Aug. 24.
(WNV\/Laura Williams)<\/p><\/div>\n

Also, citizens from two neighbor municipalities in central Portugal have united to defend the preservation of the Serra da Argemela region and to \u201cprotect the environmental, health, economic and cultural heritage\u201d of its community. The Group for the Preservation of Serra da Argemela, or GPSA, has organized several demonstrations, public meetings and interventions against mining for lithium and other minerals in the region since 2017. This year, following a petition that gained the signature of many residents, organizations and representatives of local government, the group persuaded the national authorities to reject current mining requests in the Argemela (at least, until an Environmental Impact Study is officially presented by mining companies).<\/p>\n

\u201cA big victory would be if citizens could rest assured that their rights will always be defended by the state,\u201d GPSA member Ana Mor\u00e3o said, when asked if the Portuguese government\u2019s move was a victory for them. \u201cUntil then, in addition to the right to demonstrate, the GPSA will exercise its rights of reply and contestation, particularly in the context of the public consultation that will be carried out alongside the Environmental Impact Study.\u201d<\/p>\n

Online Organizing<\/strong><\/p>\n

Residents across the country have also been organizing online, through Facebook groups, for instance, to exchange information about the mining development plans and their implications, and to mobilize offline demonstrations.<\/p>\n

The Movement Against Mining Beira Serra, is one of the Facebook groups created this year in response to the lithium mining boom, which now has over 5,000 members. Nik V\u00f6lker, an administrator of the group, said that they are currently focusing on raising awareness around the issue, but have already taken part in local and national demonstrations, information sessions and campaigns in cooperation with other similar movements.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur main demand is the right to free, prior and informed consent of any local community being considered for any new mineral exploration or exploitation project,\u201d V\u00f6lker said. \u201cAs long as these conditions are not met, both companies and government will have to deal with our local and national peaceful protest, and possible legal interventions in the near future.\u201d<\/p>\n

V\u00edtor Afonso, one of the members from the Movement Against Exploitation of Mineral Resources in the Municipality of Montalegre, a Facebook group with more than 3,600 members, created in May 2019, explained that he is against open-pit mining for lithium and other minerals not only in his area but throughout the country. \u201cIt\u2019s not a desirable or sustainable development model,\u201d he said. \u201cThe planet has no capacity to regenerate if it continues to be exploited the way it has been.\u201d<\/p>\n

As a form of protest against the lithium mining plans for Montalegre, residents decided to boycott the European elections in May and the local elections in October. In addition to\u00a0demonstrating<\/a>\u00a0on the streets during election day, they also placed banners that read \u201cNo to the Mine, Yes to Life\u201d in front of the City Hall and across public spaces.<\/p>\n

A national platform called\u00a0Say No To Mines<\/a>\u00a0was recently created to facilitate the learning and cooperation between activists and movements that oppose the mining plans, especially for lithium, adopted in Portugal. Yet the Portuguese people are far from being alone in this endeavor.\u00a0Yes to Life, No to Mining<\/a>\u00a0is a global network of and for communities that are battling against destructive mining projects and seeking life-sustaining alternatives.<\/p>\n

Contesting the Political Economy Strategy<\/strong><\/p>\n

The exploitation of lithium \u2014 considered a fundamental step for an \u201cenergy transition\u201d by the Portuguese government \u2014 has been systematically contested by the National Association for Nature Conservation, called Quercus. The organization\u00a0publicly requested<\/a>\u00a0an \u201cimmediate suspension of the government\u2019s strategy for lithium,\u201d after conducting a study that concluded the process of mining for lithium, a non-renewable resource, will result in \u201chigh levels of CO2 emissions.\u201d They estimated that each lithium mine will emit an additional 1.79 million tons of greenhouse gases per year, which means it\u2019s an energy development plan that\u2019s still environmentally unsustainable.<\/p>\n

Quercus also\u00a0organized<\/a>\u00a0the first National Forum on the Environment and Lithium, on June 22, that was attended by several representatives of movements, organizations and political parties, who are concerned about the consequences of lithium mining. The event was developed in partnership with the organization Environment in Uraniferous Zones, which has been fighting for the environmental recovery of abandoned uranium mines that still affect the health of local populations in various parts of the country, since 2002.<\/p>\n

Alternatives to lithium mining were also discussed in the forum, including the various technologies that can support a sustainable energy transition and electric mobility, such as the use of hydrogen and biogas fuel, which are renewable and generate low or zero carbon emissions. The\u00a0next steps<\/a>\u00a0agreed upon at the event include organizing a formal meeting with all political parties, the minister of environment and energy transition, and Portugal\u2019s president to debate problems with the lithium mining strategy and potential alternatives.<\/p>\n

The anti-mining movement that is emerging in Portugal, and growing globally, is a clear sign that a \u201cbusiness as usual\u201d development model \u2014 oriented to the ever-increasing exploitation of natural resources and unfair economic practices \u2014 is no longer accepted by society. And decision-makers will have to respond accordingly.<\/p>\n

\u201cArticle 66 of the Portuguese Constitution states that \u2018everyone is entitled to an environment of human life, healthy and ecologically balanced, and the duty to defend it,\u2019\u201d Afonso said. \u201cThe duty to defend our territories will certainly be exercised [by the people].\u201d<\/p>\n

_______________________________________________<\/p>\n

Marina Martinez is a Brazilian biologist, environmental scientist and freelance writer. Her writing covers issues related to health, sustainable development, political economy and sociocultural transformation. She blogs on Medium @MarinaTMartinez<\/em><\/p>\n

Go to Original \u2013 wagingnonviolence.org<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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