How the race for East Africa’s critical minerals is upending regional conservation efforts
A general view of houses in the Gécamines district (General Quarries and Mines Company of the DRC), on the edge of an open-pit mine operated by the Chinese company COMMUS (Musonoïe Mining Company Global SAS), in downtown Kolwezi, on October 13, 2022.
East Africa’s vast wealth in minerals could power the world and elevate millions out of poverty. But new data shows a paradox; that as mining sites expand, they are steadily eroding forest cover and exposing communities to environmental risks, raising concerns that the region’s economic gains from earth may come at a significant ecological cost.
The revelations came as leaders of the G7 gather in Evian, France, from June 15 to 17 to discuss cleaner ways of accessing critical minerals. Now experts warn that countries in East Africa should strengthen supervision of mining and processing to avoid negating economic gains with environmental damage.
