Zhuang, Y. (2022, December 6). ‘Important Step’ Toward Addressing Toxic Legacy of Huge Mine. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/05/world/australia/bougainville-rio-tinto-mine.html?searchResultPosition=8

 

Residents in Bougainville, an autonomous region of Australia, have been accusing Rio Tinto of environmental and human rights violations. The company failed to clean millions of tons of waste from a mine that was closed decades ago. The closing of the mine was connected to a greater civil conflict over the independence of Bougainville. This waste leaks into the nearby rivers that residents rely on for fishing, farming, and drinking. This left locals frustrated as people have to walk for hours to acquire fresh water from other sources, while the mainland of Papua New Guinea reaped most of the profits of the mine. An environmental assessment sponsored by Rio Tinto will be made, the first phase taking about 18 months. However, no commitment over funding solutions have been made.

 

The people of Bougainville are standing their ground against this massive conglomerate and I have nothing but respect for them. These articles are good examples of how environmental issues are often tied to human rights issues. I’m glad that they gathered enough attention to conduct an environmental assessment, but I’m worried over the lack of commitment made for any solutions. As this is an ongoing issue, I’m curious about what is going to happen in the future, especially after the assessment is complete.