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GREEN ACTIVISTS TO HOLD AN ALTERNATIVE CONFERENCE ON MINING ON MARCH 25
by Karina Manukyan
Monday, March 24, 13:52
On March 25 the green activists will hold an alternative conference on
mining. The event will be the response to the March 25-26 international
conference titled "Responsible Mining in Armenia: Opportunities
and Challenges".
At the March 24 conference green activist Lena Nazaryan said that
the title of the international conference demonstrates that its
participants and organizers are going to voice the current problems
in the mining sector. Meanwhile, the environmentalists have repeatedly
tried to draw attention to the fact that the mining industry in Armenia
inflicts serious damage to the environment and has a negative impact on
the health of the residents of the communities adjacent to the mines.
In this light, the green activists have decided to hold an alternative
event in order to point at the imperfection of the current legislation,
negative impact of mine development on human health, as well as the
negative effect of mine exploitation near the resort zones.
The event will be titled "Irresponsible Mining in Armenia" and will be
held outside near the venue of the international conference. Thus, the
green activists hope to get their message across to the international
organizations supporting the mining industry. Nazaryan hopes that
the police will not disturb the alternative conference of the green
activists.
The March 25-26 international conference titled "Responsible Mining in
Armenia: Opportunities and Challenges" will in Yerevan is organized
by the World Bank and the Armenian Government, with the support
of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD),
International Finance Corporation (IFC), Embassy of the United States,
German Embassy in Yerevan, British Embassy and Canadian Government.
To recall, experts have repeatedly pointed out the negative impact of
the mining industry development in Armenia. Earlier Armen Saghatelyan,
Head of the Center for Ecological-Noosphere Studies of the National
Academy of Sciences of Armenia, told ArmInfo that heavy metals
penetrate into food chains in all regions of Armenia, where there is
mining industry.
Head of the Green Union of Armenia Hakob Sanasaryan, in turn, pointed
out that the tails (waste of the mining industry) are very often
thrown to the forestry. The height of the waste in the forests of
Kajaran and Agarak, for instance, is several meters.
The biggest blow on protection of the environment was the new
"Code on Natural Resources" adopted in autumn 2011. The Code gives
the companies an opportunity to considerably reduce the tax base. In
addition, it is the state, not the companies, that will be responsible
for the tails after development of the deposits.
http://www.arminfo.am/index.cfm?objectid=55832B80-B342-11E3-906E0EB7C0D21663
by Karina Manukyan
Monday, March 24, 13:52
On March 25 the green activists will hold an alternative conference on
mining. The event will be the response to the March 25-26 international
conference titled "Responsible Mining in Armenia: Opportunities
and Challenges".
At the March 24 conference green activist Lena Nazaryan said that
the title of the international conference demonstrates that its
participants and organizers are going to voice the current problems
in the mining sector. Meanwhile, the environmentalists have repeatedly
tried to draw attention to the fact that the mining industry in Armenia
inflicts serious damage to the environment and has a negative impact on
the health of the residents of the communities adjacent to the mines.
In this light, the green activists have decided to hold an alternative
event in order to point at the imperfection of the current legislation,
negative impact of mine development on human health, as well as the
negative effect of mine exploitation near the resort zones.
The event will be titled "Irresponsible Mining in Armenia" and will be
held outside near the venue of the international conference. Thus, the
green activists hope to get their message across to the international
organizations supporting the mining industry. Nazaryan hopes that
the police will not disturb the alternative conference of the green
activists.
The March 25-26 international conference titled "Responsible Mining in
Armenia: Opportunities and Challenges" will in Yerevan is organized
by the World Bank and the Armenian Government, with the support
of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD),
International Finance Corporation (IFC), Embassy of the United States,
German Embassy in Yerevan, British Embassy and Canadian Government.
To recall, experts have repeatedly pointed out the negative impact of
the mining industry development in Armenia. Earlier Armen Saghatelyan,
Head of the Center for Ecological-Noosphere Studies of the National
Academy of Sciences of Armenia, told ArmInfo that heavy metals
penetrate into food chains in all regions of Armenia, where there is
mining industry.
Head of the Green Union of Armenia Hakob Sanasaryan, in turn, pointed
out that the tails (waste of the mining industry) are very often
thrown to the forestry. The height of the waste in the forests of
Kajaran and Agarak, for instance, is several meters.
The biggest blow on protection of the environment was the new
"Code on Natural Resources" adopted in autumn 2011. The Code gives
the companies an opportunity to considerably reduce the tax base. In
addition, it is the state, not the companies, that will be responsible
for the tails after development of the deposits.
http://www.arminfo.am/index.cfm?objectid=55832B80-B342-11E3-906E0EB7C0D21663