toxic mines no more - a european initiative to ban...
TRANSCRIPT
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Toxic Mines No More – A European Initiative to Ban Cyanide
August 2014, Rosia Montana
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Background
In May 2010 the European Parliament recommended “a general ban on the use
of cyanide mining technologies in the European Union”. The resolution was adopted with a majority of 488 votes (48 votes against and 57 abstentions) as a result of a European campaign organized by the Save Rosia Montana campaign and other partners. The resolution was never incorporated in the EC work plan,
crucial !rst step in the process of becoming a European directive.
Alburnus Maior, the coordinator of the Romanian Save Rosia Montana campaign has been campaigning for over a decade and led to Romania's biggest civil and
environmental uprising in a century. It quickly went global, spreading throughout 75 cities worldwide, from Bucharest to London and New York to Shanghai.
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Why this is important?
One of the biggest threats to water quality and the availability of water resources in Europe is posed by gold mining operations. The accidental release of material containing high concentrations of cyanide results in the death and/or contamination of most of the
aquatic life of affected rivers, along with serious health effects on human beings and animals, and leaves water unsuitable to drink.
From an environmental point of view, millions of European citizens are to be confronted with cyanide based mining technologies that could endanger their water resources. In
this sense the opportunity to act in advance, before the pollution would be generated, is in fact assuring that human rights are met.
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Why ban cyanide?
The estimated no. of communities that are or will be confronted with mining projects is around 40. Ten European countries (Romania, Bulgaria, Greece, Turkey, FYROM, Slovakia,
The Czech Republic, France, Spain and Finland) face the danger of cyanide based mining projects.
Over the past 25 years more than 30 major accidents involving cyanide spills have
occurred worldwide, the worst in Europe taking place 14 years ago, when more than 100 000 cubic meters of cyanide contaminated water was released from a gold-mine reservoir into the Tisza-Danube River system, causing the largest ecological disaster in the history
of central Europe since the Chernobyl disaster
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What we’re aiming to achieve
Create a EU-wide campaign, a coalition of groups and organisations in Europe working, to end toxic mines, to ban cyanide-based mining.
Put pressure on the European Commission to implement the European Parliament
resolution to ban cyanide in mining, one of the worst causes of water pollution.
Create the political space for re-igniting discussions in European quarters, as a result of increased pubic awareness, pressure put by communities affected and organisations
working to stop destructive mining projects.
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Target: EU commissioner for the environment
1. Phase 1 (outgoing commissioner)
2. Phase 2 (incoming commissioner)
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Cyanide is … A deadly poison, bad for the envi, health, jobs, econ., risk to freshwater
Massive massive holes in the ground Affects the most pristine areas in Europe Lapland, Apuseni, Galicia
1st Phase 2nd Phase
We have all the gold we need
Lobby
Corporate Takeover
Commission is Undemocratic / de!cit of democracy
Rewards Future and Tomorrow
Recycling creates green jobs Urban mining reduces electronic waste
Sustainable devt. is clean & democratic
The alternative
The messages to communicate
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Framing
Cyanide is … A villain A weapon of mass destruction Darth Vader and the Emperor working together Like !shing with dynamite A spoonful a day that puts you forever away A wicked leak (to water) The immaculate invention of mining companies No tomorrow The 2% that makes the 1% richer The skeleton in the closet There is something rotten with cyanide
Be the antidote of cyanide They are the cyanide and You are the antidote Too many !sh die for the gold !sh Too many mountain chains die for gold chains Too many #owers vanish for an industry that #ourishes in toxicity
Using the language of comic books, pop art visual references
Cyanide is … A villain
A weapon of mass destruction Darth Vader and the Emperor working together
Like !shing with dynamite A spoonful a day that puts you forever away
A wicked leak (to water) The immaculate invention of mining companies
No tomorrow The 2% that makes the 1% richer
The skeleton in the closet There is something rotten with cyanide
Be the antidote of cyanide
They are the cyanide and You are the antidote
Too many !sh die for the gold !sh
Too many mountain chains die for gold chains
Too many #owers vanish for an industry that #ourishes in toxicity
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Create an European alliance and website
of organisations, groups and communities
Send a NGO letter to EC Commission
Create an European petition to the EC
Commission
Raise public awareness: infographics, social
media, web content
Common Direct Action across Europe EC
Commission
Expose the industry’s lobby
1st Phase activities
autumn 2014
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Turn the campaign into positives
Metal recycling, urban mining
Work with and document gold recycling in the EU and show
bene!ts
Starts with the appointment of New Environment Commissioner
be better than your predecessor
2nd Phase
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Join the Toxic Mines No More Alliance and let’s end cyanide based mining
• Contact us at [email protected], Mining Watch Romania and [email protected], Alburnus Maior – The Save Rosia Montana campaign for more information.