Third campaign buletin on fragile ecosystems

We've published our third campaign buletin on the environmental ecosystems, their fragility and importance in the area where the Río Blanco mining project is located. It is clear that the risks are very, if not too, high for the project to continue.

Silvia Passuni, geographer at CooperAcción, offers a general evaluation on the importance of the ecosystems of moors and cloud forest, at the face of climate change and its impacts on northern Peru.

For a better understanding of these ecosystems and the threat Río Blanco Copper S.A. poses, this edition includes statements by Fidel and Juan Torres, experts in moors and desertification. Additionally, we've included a centrepiece with information and illustrations on the water cycle in Piura and moors.

Next, Javier Jahncke - legal specialist at Fedepaz - analyses the sanctions issued by OSINERGMIN (state regulatory body of Peru) in 2008 against the Río Blanco company because of a series of legal breaches. Jose De Echave - economist at CooperAcción - questions further on the accounting processes that the Office of Energy and Mines currently uses to evaluate mining projects, and discusses the necessity of incorporating ecological and social costs in these processes.

Elqui Cruz - geographer at Red Muqui, with the help of CooperAcción - finishes off with a panorama of mining concessions in the province of Jaén, to get to know this reality on a district level and who owns these concessions.

The last page of this edition presents some pictures of the celebrations from the third anniversary of the local referendum held in 2007. Those who were present, confirm that the campaign 'Mining in Paradise?' is alive and enjoys wide support in the area. Moreover, it is gaining strength with over 1000 signatures so far. If you haven't signed our petition yet, then now is the time!