Reducing disease and death from Artisanal and Small-scale Mining (ASM) – Collegium Ramazzini Statement
Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining (ASM) is one of the world’s most dangerous occupations. The World Bank estimates that 100 million children, women and men work in ASM worldwide, mostly in remote rural areas of Low-income and Lower-middle-income countries. There is an urgent need for responsible...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Elsevier
2022
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1016/j.shaw.2021.12.794 http://hdl.handle.net/11408/5155 |
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| Summary: | Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining (ASM) is one of the world’s most
dangerous occupations. The World Bank estimates that 100 million
children, women and men work in ASM worldwide, mostly in
remote rural areas of Low-income and Lower-middle-income
countries. There is an urgent need for responsible mining in the
context of growing global demand for minerals and metals for
climate change mitigation. ASM is increasing rapidly. Paradoxically,
a key driver of this growth is climate change mitigation. Climate
change mitigation drives ASM because ASM is a major source of
minerals and metals. The World Bank projects that renewable en-
ergy systems will require significantly more minerals and metals
than current fossil-fuel-based energy supply systems and that
global demand for minerals and metals will continue to increase for
many decades. The Collegium Ramazzini notes the gross injustice of
ASM. While most ASM takes place in the Global South, in the same
countries already suffering the most serious consequences of
climate change, most who benefit from ASM are in the Global North
and thus have a shared responsibility to encourage their govern-
ments to contribute to reducing ASM hazards. We cannot achieve
climate change mitigation through the use of “blood minerals”.
Reference to the full statement: https://www.collegiumramazzini.
org/news |
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