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MARION DONHOFF WORKING PAPER 2020 Principal ecological threats of the mining industry in Armenia and its political and legal background Anna Vardanyan July 2020 Principal ecological threats of the mining industry in Armenia and its political and legal background Imprint Succow Foundation partner in the Greifswald Mire Centre Ellernholzstrasse 1/3 D-17489 Greifswald Germany [email protected] http://www.succow-stiftung.de http://www.greifswaldmoor.de Cite as: Vardanyan, A., 2020, Principal ecological threats of the mining industry in Armenia and its political and legal background, Marion Dönhoff Fellowship Working Paper, Michael Succow Foundation partner in the Greifswald mire Centre (self-published URL: https://www.succow- stiftung.de/fileadmin/Ablage/Projekte/Forschung_Weiterbildung/Anna_Vardanyan_pape r_MD.pdf) "Disclaimer: This work had been carried out within a fellowship programme funded by Marion Dönhoff Foundation, implemented and supervised by Michael Succow Foundation The authors are fully responsible for the content of this working paper Marion Dönhoff Foundation has no liability." 2 Principal ecological threats of the mining industry in Armenia and its political and legal background CONTENT 1.7. Political background of the Amulsar gold mine project…………………………..30 Abstract………………………………………..4 1.7.1.Inaction of the authorities…………….31 Targeted audience…………………………….4 1.7.2.Domestic political stakeholders of the Goals and objectives………………………….4 Amulsar conflict………………………………32 Targeted subjects……………………………..4 1.7.3.External political stakeholders of the Amulsar conflict………………………………33 Methods………………………………………..5 Literature and media research… ……………5 1.8. Interviews……………………………….35 List of Individuals and entities interviewed for study, questionnaire…………………………..5 1.9. Conclusions……………………………40 Findings………………………………………...7 1.9.1.Amulsar mining endangers Recommendations…………………………….8 environmental safety in Armenia…………...40 Introduction………………………………….10 Chapter 2. “Teghut” copper and molybdenum mine exploitation issues…40 Chapter 1. “Amulsar” gold mine development as an ongoing 2.1. History…………………………………..40 environmental debate……………………..11 2.2. Mine financing and ownership……...41 1.1. The overall picture…………………….11 2.3. Dangers and consequences………...42 1.2. Risks and hazards ……………………12 2.3.1.Tailing dump safety issue…………….42 1.2.1.Uncontrollable risks for major water 2.3.2.Destruction of forest area…………….44 basins…………………………………………13 2.3.3.Species loss……………………………44 1.2.2.Negative impact on health tourism….14 2.3.4.Water pollution………………………...45 1.2.3.Actual damage threatening the land 2.3.5.A high seismic risk…………………….45 resources……………………………………..14 1.2.4.Activation of the landslide processes.15 2.4. Legal background……………………..46 1.2.5.Risks with uranium deposits…………15 2.4.1.Violations of National laws of the 1.2.6.Destruction of the region's agricultural Republic of Armenia ………………………...46 potential……………………………………….15 2.4.2.Violations of International 1.2.7.Destruction of historical and cultural conventions…………………………………..48 heritage……………………………………….16 2.5. The Environmental Impact 1.3. International experts conclusions on Assessment (EIA) Report analysis of the the dangers of Amulsar mine Teghut copper-molybdenum mine exploitation………………………………….16 project………………………………………..49 1.4. Environmental and Social Impact 2.6. Public resistance……………………...51 Assessment (ESIA) Report analysis of the Amulsar Gold mine project……………….18 2.7. Political impacts……………………….51 1.4.1.Local experts views on Lydian’s ESIA/EIA……………………………………...18 2.8. Interviews……………………………….53 1.4.2.ELARD’s Report on Lydian’s ESIA/EIA……………………………………...20 2.9. Conclusions……………………………54 2.9.1.Teghut mine exploitation - an 1.5. Public counteraction…………………22 environmental threat to the region…………54 1.6. Legal background of the Amulsar 2.10. Armenian legislation for gold mine project…………………………..25 environmental liability. Legislative gaps 1.6.1.Infringements of RA laws…………….25 on environmental offsetting 1.6.2.Armenia's international environmental schemes……………………………………...55 commitments and violations caused by “Amulsar” project…………………………….29 Chapter 3. International experience in the mining industry……………………………..58 3 Principal ecological threats of the mining industry in Armenia and its political and legal background 3.1. Mining in the international agenda. Criteria and mainstreams…………………58 3.2. Mining as a global environmental debate and the role of politics there…………………………………………..60 3.3. European experience…………………61 3.3.1.Germany.............................................61 3.4. Success stories and challenges…………………………………...64 3.5. Experts views………………………….67 3.6. International environmental conventions and treaties in relevance to mining industry………………………………………72 3.7. Participation of the Republic of Armenia in the International Environmental Agreements………………74 3.8. Conclusions……………………………77 Acknowledgments………………………….78 Abbreviations……………………………….80 List of literature & references……………81 List of figures & illustrations……………..90 4 Principal ecological threats of the mining industry in Armenia and its political and legal background 5 Principal ecological threats of the mining industry in Armenia and its political and legal background Abstract outline a conceptual framework for the effective management, to analyze and evaluate the scientific direction of the national environmental control The “Principal ecological threats of the mining system, legislative regulation. With this in mind, the industry in Armenia and its political and legal paper draws a critical view on the authorities stance background” is an independent study conducted in to the subject matter, unfolds the gaps and the framework of the Marion Dönhoff Fellowship shortcomings of their approaches to the issue. This at the Michael Succow Foundation, during the work is intended to raise a substantive debate on timeframe: 18.02.2020 - 14.07.2020. The material overall ecological issues threatening the nowadays provided in this publication is for general global world as a result of political processes and information only. prejudices. Targeted audience Targeted subjects The current research is a critical expert analysis The research subjects of this paper are focused on targeted audience of which are the former and two extensive and large-scaled mining projects in current Governments of Armenia, civil society Armenia, Amulsar gold mine and Teghout copper- actors, local and international ecologists, molybdenum mine, by identifying the principal environmentalists, journalists , and all entities who environmental hazards and risks threatening are interested in the subject matter. This work is Armenia and the entire region in the result of the mainly addressed to the RA Government realization of these projects, inter alia, water representatives, moreover, civil society, private pollution, destruction of forest area, the region's section (specifically mining companies). The local agricultural potential, historical and cultural heritage population plays an important role in defining etc. dialogue, developing strategic planning documents Why specifically those two mines case study? First and processes as proposed in this study. and foremost, due to immeasurable hazards Let it be noted, that in the term “critical” there is no threatening the environment and the ecology of intention to give marks to the current or former Armenia and the overall region as a result of their Governments of Armenia, and don’t pursue exploitation. Secondly, given the public articulation political goals. It is solely guided by environmental and the resistance that has been formed around priorities for our region, and in this regard, I find both projects for years, which, however, has not yet that all political authorities in Armenia , both found its solution and threatens to turn into a former and incumbent, have shared responsibility nationwide resistance. Third, the Amulsar -Teghut in this matter, the former one - for giving a green mines are the largest mining projects in Armenia, light to those arguable projects, and the current - which also have acquired great political resonance for inaction and turning blind eye to the crisis and motivation that need a scrupulous study. These evolved around. are also issues of political urgency in Armenia for nowadays, due to the formation of a new Goals and objectives government, revolutionary ideas and public expectations evolved around them. These projects The long term goal of this paper was to held a have also attracted the attention of the international comprehensive and objective research explaining community and dozens of studies have been the ecological crisis evolving in Armenia as a result conducted so far by the international authoritative of mining industry. This has been done by institutions and organizations. exploring each case in-depth and analyzing the basic The study has examined international experience in impediments or preconditions of healthy mining industry , legislation of the Republic of environmental development within the country, and Armenia on environmental protection, more than revealing the reasons for success or failure during 30 international environmental conventions and this process. treaties, comparisons have been made with The objective of the current study was to deliver a internationally permitted mining benchmarks and perspicuous review of literatures and practices in mainstreams. relation to environmental development analysis and 6 Principal ecological threats of the mining industry
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