EU chooses metal over people

The European Union wants to mine new metals and minerals and ignores the plight of local communities. Its Critical Raw Materials Act came into force in May 2024. The goal: to make Europe more independent in terms of raw materials that the EU considers essential for its economy. A call for projects that could help realise this was immediately launched. Last week, the 47 projects that will receive funding and fast tracked permits were announced. 23 of these are mining projects.

The voice of local communities is not being ignored
Local communities were not consulted in the decision-making process. The four open-pit lithium mines that Savannah Resources wants to dig in Covas do Barroso, Portugal, are on the list. This despite years of protest from the local community. The Anglo American mine that would drive the Sámi from their land in Finland: on the list. The Euro Sun Mining mine in Rovina, against which the local population won a court case, you guessed it: on the list. Cinovec in the Czech Republic? Yup.

The EU gives geostrategic interests precedence over the health and living environment of thousands of people. In doing so, it is trampling on its own Aarhus Convention. It is mandatory for local communities to be given access to environment-related information about their living environment, to be granted meaningful participation in projects that have an impact on their living environment and to be given access to an independent court to guarantee this right. The EU is ignoring its own legislation to let companies dig for metal.

Mining = environmental disaster
It is only logical that people protest against the opening of new mines. European regulations on mining are limited to the 20-year-old ‘Extractive Waste Directive’, hopelessly outdated legislation. Even countries with a history of destructive extractivism, such as Brazil and Peru, are doing better in this area. Europe also has a history of far-reaching destruction through mining. In 1998, a dam at a Boliden mine in Aznacóllar, Spain, collapsed, releasing 6 million tonnes of toxic mining waste into the environment. Boliden declared its Spanish branch bankrupt and never took full responsibility for the damage it caused. In 2000, a dam in Baia Mare burst, releasing enormous quantities of cyanide. The drinking water of 2.5 million Hungarians was poisoned and 80% of the fish in the Tisza River died.

In the event of a break or leak, the dams for storing mining waste that will be built for the current mining boom could cause that damage multiple times over.. It is striking that the EU’s list of strategic projects is full of companies that are guilty of ecocide. The copper mine Cobre Las Cruces discharged arsenic into the area around Seville, drew groundwater at a faster rate than permitted, had three of its managers convicted of environmental crimes and in 2019 suffered a landslide on its premises, but today it is coolly receiving additional funding and easier access to permits from the EU. This is nothing new. Companies like this have been receiving funds from the EU for ‘green mining’ for years, among others through the Horizon project. The scale (and therefore the consequences) will however be a lot bigger now.

Yet mining does not need disasters to destroy the environment and the living environment. The mining sector is responsible for an estimated 4 to 7 percent of global emissions. Mining requires huge amounts of water and thus depletes aquifiers that are sources of drinking water for communities. Mining waste and its storage is polluting and (as shown in the previous paragraph) risky. In Kiruna, Sweden, an entire village recently had to be relocated because it was literally falling into a mine.

Jadar, Serbia
The EU’s current focus is on Jadar, Serbia. It is said to have the largest underground reserve of lithium in Europe. Rio Tinto, a company known for ecocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes around the world, wants to excavate this reserve. However, it is facing huge protests from the Serbians. The EU will soon announce which strategic projects it will support outside the EU and is very keen to include Jadar on that list. Like a true colonial institution, the EU is letting its propaganda run free in the hope of drowning out the voice of the local population. Catapista’s recently wrote several opinion pieces about it in Dewereldmorgen and De Standaard. Unfortunately, major media outlets do not allow the local population to have their say in their recent articles about mining.

There is an alternative
The dominant discourse says that we need new mining to enable Europe to continue to meet our needs. But what needs? We do not need new electric cars, but more, better and free public transport. We do not need new weapons. Nobody is asking for more disposable gadgets with lithium-ion batteries. Yet that is where a large part of our new production will go. And it doesn’t stop there. Building a mine costs so much money that once it is open, it has to continue producing. That means production will be for mining and not the other way around.

Only if the gigantic sums that will be freed up for new mining were invested in degrowth and recycling, in collective transport modes, in ensuring that electronic products last a long time, only then will Europe be truly independent of materials.

DocVille cancels the screening of pro-mining documercial ‘Not in my country’

DocVille documentary festival cancels screening of pro-mining propaganda film ‘Not in my country’

  • Docville cancelled the screening of ‘Not in my country’, a movie that criminalises local communities and activist that oppose destructive mining projects in their country
  • The screening was cancelled under pressure of planned protest
  • We call on everyone to listen to the voices of local communities and respect their right to refuse mining projects

Leuven documentary film festival DocVille cancelled the session ‘ethisch mijnen, kan dat?’ (ethical mining, is it possible?). The discussion would have been centered around the movie ‘Not in my country’, a documentary made by Peter Tom Jones, the director of the KU Leuven Institute for Sustainable Metals and Minerals. This piece of propaganda criminalises people protesting against lithium mining in Jadar, Serbia by Rio Tinto. It argues that they are puppets for the extreme right and the Kremlin.

The agenda is clear: Peter Tom Jones wants more mining in Europe and to accomplish that goal local communities fighting the destruction of their environment by mining need to be silenced and marginalized.

Criminalisation of activism
A recent opinion piece by Catapistas in De Standaard sums up the problems with Jones’ stance: “Jones suggests that climate activists form “unnatural alliances” with far-right groups. This is a dangerous and unjust framing, reminiscent of the way Indigenous and local communities worldwide are systematically criminalized when they resist destructive mining projects. The legitimate opposition of concerned local communities, whose immediate environment and way of life are threatened, is dismissed as extreme, unreasonable, or selfish. How can we speak of a fair debate when one voice is marginalized from the outset?”

It was clear that this movie was not a backdrop for a fair debate. You don’t preface a debate about PFAS, with a clip by 3M or a panel about arms ownership with a movie by the NRA. It doesn’t come as a surprise that people were planning to react to this events. Belgian academia and arts launched an open letter denouncing the neocolonial narrative of the movie. Marginalising voices wanting to defend their lands is indeed reminiscent of the way colonial powers tried to justify their exploitation. People in Barroso (Portugal) and Jadar (Serbia) had already voiced their anger at the screening of this movie. Together with different groups in solidarity, they were preparing to give the voice Jones is trying to marginalise a platform at the screening. People have the right to say no against mining on their lands.

Cancellation of the debate
We understand that DocVille aimed to foster a serene debate and, as a result, decided to cancel the screening of the documentary. The film has proven to be highly polarizing, and the criminalization of local communities understandably leads to outrage. Anyhow, CATAPA rejects any form of intimidation or violence.

However, we must not overlook the broader issue: communities worldwide that resist mining projects frequently face repression, violence, threats, and even murder. Organizations such as Amnesty International have extensively documented these human rights abuses. The very same corporations that this documentary seeks to defend are the ones silencing these communities and violating their right to free speech. We strongly condemn these tactics.

The documentary—referred to as a “documercial” in the open letter—unilaterally promotes the interests of Rio Tinto, a company with a troubling track record of human rights violations, environmental destruction, and internal misconduct, including cases of sexual violence and racism. Rio Tinto has been implicated in war crimes, the destruction of Indigenous sacred sites, and the dumping of toxic mining waste, such as cyanide. Given this background, it is not surprising that such a one-sided portrayal of the mining industry is met with resistance.

Furthermore, the close ties between the mining industry and certain academic institutions raise concerns about conflicts of interest. Research institutions, particularly those benefiting from EU-funded Horizon projects, often collaborate with industry players, leading to biased narratives that overlook alternative solutions. Rather than focusing solely on increased mining, we should prioritize material reduction, efficiency, recycling, and urban mining—strategies that receive far too little attention. The claim that there is “no alternative” to large-scale mining in the EU is not only misleading but also politically motivated.

We call on everyone to listen to the voices of local communities, respect their right to refuse mining projects, and foster a truly open and democratic debate—one that is not dictated by corporate interests but by genuine concern for social and environmental justice.

 

The Academic World Has Too Close Ties with the Mining Industry


Protests defending the Jadar region against Rio Tinto’s mining activities.

The Academic World Has Too Close Ties with the Mining Industry
Discrediting protests against mining is not the right path to a green future

Peter Tom Jones, director of the KU Leuven Institute for Sustainable Metals and Minerals wrote an opinion piece in Belgian newspaper De Standaard defending European lithium mining and smearing ecological defenders. Catapistas Kim Claes, Alberto Vázquez Ruiz, Robin Roels & Hanne Cottyn wrote a response.

De Standaard Published at 16/03/2025

In his masterpiece 1984, George Orwell describes how a constant state of war is used to control the population: it creates fear, justifies authoritarian measures, and suppresses critical voices. In his opinion piece (DS, March 7), Peter Tom Jones, director of the KU Leuven Institute for Sustainable Metals and Minerals, applies similar rhetoric to the debate on mining and Europe’s raw materials supply. Jones claims that concerned citizens and NGOs opposing mining are “missing the point” and undermining the green energy transition. Instead of engaging in a constructive debate about the future of resource policy, he dismisses anyone who questions the necessity of large-scale mining as an enemy of progress. This is no longer an academic discussion—it is a politically charged attack on democratic participation.

Jones suggests that climate activists form “unnatural alliances” with far-right groups. This is a dangerous and unjust framing, reminiscent of the way Indigenous and local communities worldwide are systematically criminalized when they resist destructive mining projects. The legitimate opposition of concerned local communities, whose immediate environment and way of life are threatened, is dismissed as extreme, unreasonable, or selfish. How can we speak of a fair debate when one voice is marginalized from the outset?

Moreover, Jones asserts that there is “no alternative” to increased mining in the EU, while numerous possibilities remain largely unexplored. The drastic reduction and more efficient use of metals are barely mentioned. Why is the focus so one-sidedly on primary extraction? The answer partly lies in the overly close ties between research institutions and industry. For years, the industry and some academic institutions have collaborated within EU-funded Horizon research projects. While such cooperation is not inherently problematic, the risk of conflicts of interest is real when there is no public oversight. How independent is research when the same industrial players are systematically involved?

A Long List of Disasters
A key question arises: are we truly exploring the most sustainable solutions, or only those that fit the business model of mining companies that channel their profits to shareholders? Jones uses EU research funds to promote mining within the EU. This raises concerns about the scientific integrity of his argument, especially when he highlights only the benefits and downplays the drawbacks. How scientific is it to systematically ignore the International Resource Panel (the United Nations expert panel on natural resources)? The negative impacts of mining on local communities and ecosystems are well documented, yet Jones barely mentions them.

A common argument is that Europe has “better” mining standards than the rest of the world and can therefore engage in “responsible mining.” However, there is no guarantee that Europe would actually do better. Just over fifteen years ago, Europe had the second-highest number of mining tailings dam failures in the world. There is also a long history of mining disasters, conflicts, human rights violations, flawed public consultations, and ecological devastation within Europe.

We are at risk of repeating the same mistakes, with the recently proposed Omnibus legislation and the broader dismantling of environmental protection regulations in the EU. This will lead to weaker environmental impact assessments and the erosion of permitting procedures. Natura 2000 areas—the most valuable natural habitats in the EU—are under threat, and local communities have little say in the matter.

A False Choice
This is supposedly all necessary to ensure that Europe does not lose the geopolitical race. The narrative that Europe will “lose its prosperity” if it does not act quickly primarily serves the industry’s agenda. We are constantly being instilled with fear: from Chinese control over electric vehicles, Russian influence in mining protests in Serbia, to American threats in Greenland. By framing Europe as being in a geopolitical struggle where mining is the only salvation, we are presented with a false choice: either we dig more, or we lose our prosperity and geopolitical standing. Just like in 1984, this rhetoric is not meant to foster open debate but to silence critical voices. However, we do not need to blindly follow this economic war rhetoric. The real issue is not that people resist change, but that the proposed change primarily benefits certain economic actors rather than society as a whole. A fair transition requires policies that prioritize well-being over profit. This means a resource policy aligned with the recommendations of the International Resource Panel, emphasizing drastic material-use reduction and international cooperation. Such an approach would actually make Europe more independent from major powers like the U.S. and China. A focus on material efficiency, recycling, urban mining, and circular strategies rather than unchecked extraction. Full participation of local communities, with respect for their right to say “no.” A critical look at the entanglement of science,  policymakers, and industry, with strict regulations and public oversight to prevent conflicts of interest. The transition is too important to be left to an industry that only serves its own interests. Let’s conduct the debate based on honest information—without fearmongering and without discrediting critical voices.

Yuturi Warmi – Indigenous Women Resist Gold Mining

Margot Tjolle studied a MSc in Environment and Development at the University of Copenhagen. For her Master’s thesis, she went on field work in the Serena community with her two research partners, Filippo De Rossi and Marie Eenens. They decided to collaborate and live with Yuturi Warmi to conduct a research project aiming to understand how endangered communities can build alternatives to mining and extractivism.

The scourge of industrial gold mining
In recent years, the Ecuadorian Amazon has been increasingly impacted by the scourge of both illegal and “legal” gold mining. However, the mines operated by official companies are often also considered illegal by the local populations, as they notoriously enter their territories without their prior free and informed consent, and operate without environmental permits.

The negative impacts of industrial gold mining start with the deforestation and contamination of the soil and rivers by the toxic chemicals used in the extraction process, predominantly mercury. In addition to destroying the precious biodiversity of the Amazon rainforest, the contamination brings an array of health issues to the communities that depend on the river water to survive, such as skin diseases and cancer. The soil contamination prevents anything to grow, jeopardizing their agroforestry organic farms, a vital part of their lives and indigenous cultures. Mining also sabotages other more environmentally-friendly sources of income such as tourism, as the contaminated land and rivers are not attractive to the foreigner’s eye anymore. Another important impact to mention is the rise of insecurity and delinquency the mine brings to the communities, as the resulting lack of educational or economic opportunities breed alcoholism, prostitution, and drug abuse and trafficking.

“Yes, sometimes I get angry, because these mining companies want to enter our territory, they want to damage the water, especially water is our life. Water is for children to bathe, for cooking and for us to drink. By entering, the miners want to leave the timber trees well damaged. In our territory to plant cassava, banana, those will also be very damaged, when they throw away chemicals. And that’s why we, the women here, from this Community of Serena, stand hard. We stand hard so they don’t enter. That’s why we became the Yuturi Warmi association.” – Corina from Yuturi Warmi

The resistance of Yuturi Warmi
Yuturi Warmi is the first indigenous women’s led guard of the Napo province, in the Ecuadorian Amazon. Yuturi Warmi translates directly to “conga woman”, “conga” being a certain species of ants which are considered warriors in the Kichwa culture. Conga ants are peaceful until their territory is threatened: if an unwelcome presence gets close to their nest, they unite and bite the individual to defend themselves. More than 40 Kichwa women are dedicating their daily lives to resist mines from entering their land. By using Indigenous Justice – spears, chili peppers, tobacco and nettles – as arms, they stop the miners from entering the Serena community which is one of the last areas that gold mining has not infiltrated and polluted their rivers, soil and bodies. They also regularly patrol the area, and make traditional artisanal products such as beaded jewelry, weaved bags, and ceramics, as an additional source of income. Together with the support of their families, they march in various protests to raise awareness that there is indeed an alternative to the destructive development path that the mining companies promote.

“In other places or in other communities, they tell us that mining brings money. And if there are some families who turn to mining and sell their land it’s due to lack of money, out of necessity.” – Leila from Yuturi Warmi

Unfortunately, the precarious economic conditions in which many communities live, coupled with the lack of opportunities, forces them to accept leasing or selling their land to the mines, for the meager promise of a short-term economic benefit. It is crucial for communities to have the means to build alternative sources of income to the mine, which do not jeopardize their future. In other words, it is vital for communities to practice their right to say no to extractive projects on their territories and their right to say yes to their chosen way of living and relation with their surroundings.

“For the future of the Yuturi Warmi, we have always been talking about focusing on community tourism. Because if we do community tourism we can bring foreigners to know and respect our territory, know our rivers, our waterfalls, our mountains… And also to provide work for students. Here, our high school graduates are not given work unless they have 2-3 years of experience. And if they do not have a third-level education, they do not have a job. So, doing community tourism would help us a lot because our children can be jungle guides, rafting guides, chefs. So there is work here in the territory and they don’t have to emigrate. That is our dream, that is our future. And with that, resist more because there are people who are getting to know us.” – Elsa from Yuturi Warmi

Community-led resistance tourism
As the president of Yuturi Warmi mentions, their dream is to develop a community-led tourism project. The community envisions building a lodge on the bank of the Jatunyacu River, on their communal land. They also wish to create a botanical garden around the lodge, where they would plant different medicinal and traditional plants and label them, in an effort to conserve and share their knowledge. On this land, they already started building a roofed space dedicated to the practice of the Wayusupina, a traditional early-morning tea ceremony important within the Amazonian Kichwa culture. They plan to finish the construction of this site to have a space where they can celebrate and practise different aspects of their culture, as well as simply meet with the guests. Moreover, the lodge would serve as a venue to sell their traditional handmade beaded jewellery and crafts. This project would provide them with an alternative source of income to destructive gold mining, which would not only help them fight extractivism but also share their culture with visitors.

However, this collective dream is no small task to achieve. Once the funds needed to develop the plans, buy the materials, and build the project are collected, efforts need to be continuous to ensure that the lodge thrives. Different challenges appear when introducing tourism as an alternative source of income. Tourism can be seen as an extractive activity that puts stress on the natural environment and can make local communities dependent on another volatile economic sector. Therefore, it is crucial to ensure that the touristic project is sustainable and based on the needs of the community. For example, a small-scale sustainable tourist project means limited numbers which means limited financial gains to support the related activities. It is also important that the women and the community itself retain ownership of the project. Although external investments can help fund the project, it can also shift control to other hands, like travel agencies. A monitoring system could be put in place to ensure the continuous sustainability of the project, and respond to emerging issues in a timely manner. Over-performativity and ‘selling’ one’s Kichwa culture and practices to entertain the foreigner’s eye, can also be viewed from a critical lens. The line is thin between the benefits that sharing and reproducing cultural practices can have for the preservation of indigenous knowledge, and its exaggeration to unrealistic standards which could provide a stereotypical and romanticised image of the community. Finally, as the area is surrounded by illegal mining activities, security concerns need to be evaluated, whether concerning the water contamination or the potential tensions with pro-mining groups in the region. 

A financially and informatively well-supported community resistance tourism project can not only allow the women of Yuturi Warmi and the Serena community to achieve their dream of self-subsistence and territorial protection, but also ensure their resilience and adaptivity in the face of such challenges.

The students started an ongoing crowdfunding to support Yuturi Warmi in their first steps towards the development of their dreamed community tourism project. Your contributions will support the organisation in their fight against the mines for the protection of their territory and the Amazon rainforest. The collected funds will support the construction of a tourist lodge, a botanical garden, and a traditional handicrafts shop.

Link to the crowdfunding: https://whydonate.com/en/fundraising/Yuturi-Warmi
For any questions, contact us at: margot.tjolle@hotmail.com

The best farewell gift to Frauke? Stop #ExpresDefect to the rescue! Here is what you can do.

I hope you are all happy and well. First of all I have some sad news. April was my last month working for CATAPA. A replacement is foreseen in mid August. Meanwhile Maud will continue to coordinate the Stop #ExpresDefect campaign. But now more than ever, we need you all on board to keep the campaign rolling and not lose momentum. 

Success
Last year we achieved a lot. We developed several campaign tools, we organised or participated in many events, and several new and old catapistas joined our campaign. Many people put an amazing effort in Stopping #ExpresDefect! Big huraaay for all!

Help us keep the train rolling
So let’s keep this train rolling! Not having an overlap with someone coordinating these efforts is complicated,  but CATAPA is a non-hierarchical volunteer movement, what we achieve depends on all of us. I am confident we can make this work if we make it a joint effort! Hopefully you are confident too!

Help us promote this campaign and CATAPA at events and places in your area or community. Pick a campaign tool that suits you, and take it to your local library, community center or favourite ICT shop. Bring it to your amazing birthday-, family- or tupperware party.  Get it to a lecture, workshop or any other event and place you can think of. 

Small or big action, doesn’t matter. Help us take CATAPA and Stop #ExpresDefect out there, together we stop mining and planned obsolescence! 

What can you do?

  • Follow, share and like our campaign posts on CATAPA’S social media
  • Organise or promote a quiz with questions relating to mining, e-waste, planned obsolescence.
  • Share our flyer. 
  • Find a nice spot for our amazing roll-up banner. 
  • Find another nice spot for our selfie-mirror, and have people post on social media. 
  • Pick and choose some slides and give a presentation or workshop
  • Find a new home for our e-waste installation after the expo at MIAT finishes in September. 
  • Organise or promote a photo-exposition with amazing contributions from Catapistas Camilla Del Fabro, Dayana Corzo, Brendan Brown and Simon Lenskens. 
  • Pitch CATAPA or the campaign to your friends, family of colleagues. 
  • Take out our CATAPA infostand
  • Write a contribution for our newsletter or website
  • Follow up and share Stop #ExpresDefect related topics.
  • Join our monthly campaign meetings! contact maud.marcial@catapa.be
  • Propose something yourself!!

Spread the Stop #ExpresDefect Charter
Last but not least, if you cannot do any of these, just help us spread our Charter. It is finally ready to overtake all local municipalities in Flanders. The goal of this whole campaign is to convince local authorities to sign our Charter and commit to stop this throwaway culture, specifically the planned obsolescence of ICT products. We want to achieve this by reaching out to a handful of citizens in municipalities all over Flanders who want to convince their local or favourite politicians to sign our Charter. Just once a year we all meet to evaluate the progress. Want to help out to reach this goal? 

We decided to have an extra campaign meeting with all those amazing catapistas that want to Stop #ExpresDefect and discuss how we can assure the continuity of this campaign. On Tuesday the 30th of April @ 19u in the Catapa office or online. You are very welcome to join! It’s my very last day, it would be the best farewell gift to see many of you there!

Carolina and the Right to Say No

Carolina is an environmental defender from Falan, Colombia. She fights for the right to say no to extractivism and yes to a strong and resilient community. Along with Don Wilder she will tour Belgium this March during the Right to Say No Tour. Join the events to hear about the experiences of these environmental defenders, how our “green” trasition is impacting their lives and how degrowth might help their struggle.

My name is Carolina Monje and I am a land defender. To me, this place is not only a geographical space but a home that holds our history, culture and traditions. I defend our territory because I believe in the importance of preserving our identity and the legacy we have inherited from our ancestors. My role in defending the territory is multifaceted. Not only do I work to protect our common good and ensure environmental sustainability, but I also advocate for the rights of our communities. As an activist, I take on the responsibility of being the voice of those who cannot be heard, fighting for the right to say “yes” to a future that respects our needs and values. 

The right to say “yes” means empowerment for our community. I seek not only to preserve what we have, but also to ensure that we have the ability to decide our own destiny. I believe in self-determination and the importance of being the protagonists of our own history. Collaboration with activists from international organizations is crucial in our struggle/fight. Their support can help provide resources, visibility and diplomatic pressure to strengthen our position. Together we can build alliances that address the common challenges we face.

As I look to the future of our land, I see challenges, but also opportunities for positive change. I believe in the ability of the community and of activists and defenders to inspire meaningful transformations. With the continued support of international organizations and global awareness, I envision a future where our territory/land flourishes, protecting its cultural and natural richness for generations to come.

Mining multinational AngloGold Ashanti unmasked during carnival in Ibagué, Colombia

For the 14th time already the Marcha Carnaval took place in Ibagué last Friday. It’s a festivity, but at the same time a manifestation, for the defense of life, water and other natural resources. Our partner organisation Comité Ambiental en Defensa de la Vida, together with other environmental collectives, mobilises for the march and year after year ten of thousands of people take part to show their peaceful opposition to the destruction and contamination of their territory.

These environmental marches in Ibagué are known to be the biggest ones in Colombia. It all started in 2007, when it was announced that the biggest goldmine in the province was going to be opened up in Cajamarca: the La Colosa mine, a project of multinational Anglogold. Thanks to a strong opposition from locals the mining project was luckily dismissed. But the same multinational continues to carry out other extractive projects in the region, often disguised underneath other company names because of their bad reputation. That’s why everywhere in the march you could see ‘Quita la mascara’ or ‘Remove the mask’, the central slogan of the newly launched campaign ‘Anglogold Nos Toca’ (Anglogold touches us).

The campaign was launched this month by the Network of Persons Affected By Anglogold (la Red de Personas Afectadas por AngloGold) to denounce and unmask the unethical and violent behavior of the multinational and to demand that they leave Colombian territory. In a web series with the name ‘Historias Quebradas’ they unveil the malpractices and secrecies of Anglogold in Colombia. With ‘Fuera Anglogold’ or ‘Anglogold out’ the manifestants regularly made clear last Friday that the company no longer is welcome on their territory.

With music, art, parades and costumes students, unions, collectives and all kind of political and social organisations of the whole region of Tolima showed their resistance against mining and fracking in their region. Manifestation and fighting for their right to say no to destructive projects, uniting all of those who believe that water is more important than gold.

 

Verzet Wereldwijd: A night of resistance and solidarity!

What does saying ‘no’ mean to you? If a mining corporation decided to use your home for their new extractivist project – would you be able to stop them? And as well as saying no to extraction and pollution, how able are you to say yes to another way of living, that works with the natural world and within planetary boundaries?

On the 2nd December, environmental frontline defenders from Ecuador, Brazil, Ireland and Belgium came together in De Studio in Antwerp for a night of activities around the ‘right to say no.’

Organised by CATAPA in collaboration with CIDSE, Grondrecht and Fridays For Future Antwerp, the event was designed to share stories and experiences of frontline defenders, and build solidarity in the worldwide movement against extractivism.

The diversity of the speakers and of the event – which was held simultaneously in English, Dutch and Spanish – reflected both the diversity of the experiences of those participating, and the unity of a movement that transcends languages and geography.

The night kicked off with a speech by Jakob Cleymans, one of the founders of Fridays for Future Antwerp and of democratic supermarket Coop Centraal. He spoke of the importance of better including youth in discussions around climate action on a political level and the concept of MAPA – most affected people and areas.

Following this, we heard from a panel of female frontline defenders. V’cenza Cirefice, Irish ecofeminist researcher, artist and activist, and part of CAIM (Communities Against the Injustice of Mining). She spoke about the importance of viewing anti-extractivism through a feminist lens.

“At the forefront of the anti-mining movement in Ireland are women. It is women that are experiencing first hand the impacts (of mining), such as water pollution.” 

Ivonne Ramos, an Ecuadorian environmental and human rights activist who coordinates the national campaign of Acción Ecológica on the ecological and social impact of mining and the #QuitoSinMinería campaign, echoed this. 

“By working with women in both the urban and rural areas of Ecuador, we have created a kind of sisterhood of resistance.” 

We also heard from Hedwig Rooman, member of the Belgian organisation Grondrecht, a collective of concerned citizens demanding justice on PFAS pollution in their environment and its effects on themselves, their children and grandchildren. 

“We all have a right to the protection of our environment and health, thanks to the universal declaration of human rights. This right is enshrined in the Belgian Constitution.” 

After the panel discussion, artistic organisation Atelier Rojo led a collective imagination session to foster creativity and solidarity. 

The night rounded off with some live music by Roger de Bortoli and Arno Foppe, and empanadas courtesy of Antwerp business Monte Maiz. 

This event is just one of many upcoming opportunities to get involved and learn more about the Right to Say No campaign. Find out more about this new campaign on our website.

Article by catapista Cass Hebron – pictures by catapista Estefanía Moreno Amador

mining area in Kori Chaca Bolivia

The EU Raw Materials Week: time to dig in

The Brussels Way

The EU Raw Materials Week kicked off in Brussels this Monday, November 14. This summit, organised by the European Commission’s Directorate-General for the Internal Market, focuses on one fundamental question: how can we ensure that the European Union has enough raw materials to meet our prosperity and well-being?

Raw materials underpin our societies and economies. Grain is a raw material, which we use to bake bread and feed the population. Copper is a metal we mine, which we then use to make power cables that power households. The same goes for any product you have ever bought: a sandwich, a jar of peanut butter, a phone, laptop, fridge, car or a cargo bike.

Read more “The EU Raw Materials Week: time to dig in”

Get to know our two new ESC volunteers!

Since the beginning of September, our team has two new members! Meet ESC volunteers Magdalena and Estefanía:

Estefania
I´m Estefanía from Spain. In the next 12 months I’m going to work in the communication and campaign area of CATAPA. I have developed my studies in journalism and digital communication. About my career, it has been focused in the social sector: in recent years I had worked in a NGO to defend rights for migrant and refugees people, and also in the Cooperation and Volunteering area in Miguel Hernandez University.
The opportunity to be part of CATAPA is an incentive to develop my career close to my values. Being part of this project also gives me the opportunity to work with professionals from whom I can learn a lot.
About me, I like to practice CrossFit, hiking and relax watching The office. I also really like music and dancing, so count on me to party.

Magdalena
Hey everyone! I am Magdalena and I am the new movement and campaigning ESC volunteer! I am super excited to join Catapa and to get to know all of you!
A few things about me: I grew up in a valley in Austria, before moving to Vienna where I was active in the climate justice movement and studied environmental sciences and management of bioressources. The last few years I have been living in the Netherlands to do my MSc in Development and Rural Innovation there. I am interested in everything related to climate justice, intersectional environmentalism, just sustainability transitions,  community currencies, degrowth and – of course – mining! In my free time I like to hike, go bouldering, knit and read.
I am already looking forward to meeting you in the next Catapa meetings!

ESC stands for European Solidarity Corps, a European exchange programme offering young people a volunteer experience abroad.