A Chinese gold mining operation in Congo’s Okapi Wildlife Reserve is devastating the environment, despite the area’s protected status.
Sam Mednick reports for The Associated Press.
In short:
- The Okapi Wildlife Reserve, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is being encroached upon by a Chinese-run gold mine due to shifting and unclear boundaries.
- Mining activities have led to deforestation, river pollution and loss of biodiversity, affecting local communities’ livelihoods.
- Although Congo’s mining code prohibits mining in protected areas, permits were allegedly issued based on altered maps.
Key quote:
“It is alarming that a semi-industrial mining operation is being given free rein in what’s supposed to be a protected World Heritage Site, that was already on the danger list.”
— Joe Eisen, executive director of Rainforest Foundation UK
Why this matters:
The destruction of the Okapi Wildlife Reserve not only threatens rare species like the okapi but also weakens one of the planet’s crucial carbon sinks. Continued environmental damage worsens climate change and endangers the health and survival of local communities.
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