Projects

Situational diagnosis of artisanal and small-scale mining in the Peruvian Amazon

Areas : Natural resources, extractive industries and social conflict
Researcher/s in charge : Manuel Glave, Álvaro Hopkins
Other researchers : Marcela Cavassa
Execution time:October 2023

Presentation

The link between infrastructure in the Amazon and deforestation is emblematic of the expansion of gold mining. As has been widely documented, artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) is associated with informality and illegality, which combines several characteristics: the exploitation of natural resources, environmental contamination, the need to redistribute resources, and the different levels of government and entities involved in its governance. Thus, the TNC-WCS-GRADE consortium (Towards a Sustainable Infrastructure in the Amazon), as part of complementary activities, has decided to initiate an exploratory study on the dynamics of ASM and how infrastructure projects facilitate its expansion and environmental and social impact.

In this context, and at the request of The Nature Conservancy (TNC), GRADE has been carrying out the study “Situational diagnosis of ASM in the Peruvian Amazon”. The aim is to have a diagnosis of ASM in the Peruvian Amazon, with a current and multidimensional vision, as well as trends and potential scenarios for study and intervention. The diagnosis will be framed within the recommendations presented in the policy documents prepared by the TNC-WCS-GRADE consortium (Towards a Sustainable Infrastructure in the Amazon), in particular the one referring to the territorial approach in the planning processes of infrastructure investment projects.