The outbreak of illegal gold mining in the Brazilian Amazon boosts deforestation

Autor(es)

Siqueira-Gay, Juliana ^[1] ; Sanchez, Luis E. ^[1]

Afiliação do(s) autor(es)

^[1] Univ Sao Paulo, Escola Politecn, Sao Paulo - Brazil

• Tipo de documento: Artigo Científico
• Fonte: Regional Environmental Change; v. 21, n. 2 JUN 2021.
• Citações Web of Science: 0

Resumo

Increased prices and political pressure are boosting illegal gold mining in the Brazilian Amazon, threatening forests, indigenous people, and conservation of biodiversity in protected areas. The rate of illegal mining deforestation increased more than 90% from 2017 to 2020, reaching 101.7 km(2) annually in 2020 compared to 52.9 km(2) annually in 2017. In that period, illegal mining deforestation rate grew more than the rate of clearing within mining leases. While formal mining is required to comply with environmental regulations, most small-scale or artisanal mining and especially illegal mining areas are abandoned after reserves are exhausted, without proper rehabilitation. Deforestation due to illegal mining is likely to increase in the next years, calling for coordination between local and regional policies as well as for strengthening and expanding international mechanisms to increase traceability of mineral supply chains with certification schemes to help to curb illegal mining. (AU)

• Processo FAPESP: 18/12475-7 - Impactos cumulativos da fragmentação de habitats em áreas de mineração
• Beneficiário: Luis Enrique Sánchez
• Modalidade de apoio: Auxílio à Pesquisa - Regular