Indigenous Rights at Risk Amid Lithium Mining Expansion in Argentina
Lithium mining in Argentina's Jujuy province is escalating, with companies like SQM and CODELCO pushing for permits on Indigenous lands. This expansion threatens the Kolla and Atacama peoples' rights and access to essential resources, highlighting a critical conflict between green energy goals and Indigenous sovereignty.
Theia Market Signal Identification - AI AssistedIn Jujuy, Argentina, demand for lithium is projected to increase significantly, with a potential eighteen-fold rise by 2030. The Kolla and Atacama peoples hold rights to Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC) under the UN Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, yet these rights are often ignored by lithium mining companies.
The Kachi Yupi Community Protocol, established in 2015, mandates companies to engage meaningfully with Indigenous communities before obtaining mining permits. However, government support has waned, leading to increased resistance from these communities, which have now adopted an anti-mining stance.
The lithium extraction process further threatens local water supplies and food production, adversely affecting agriculture and local wildlife, including flamingos. As global lithium demand grows to support green energy initiatives, the rights and livelihoods of Indigenous populations must not be overlooked.
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