A new project launched today in Kampala by national authorities and international organizations aims to advance a more responsible artisanal gold mining sector across the country.
The five-year planetGOLD Uganda project (https://www.PlanetGOLD.org/Uganda) is funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) (https://www.theGEF.org) and implemented by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) (www.UNEP.org). The planetGOLD Uganda project will be executed by the international non-profit organization, IMPACT (https://IMPACTTransform.org), in partnership with Uganda’s National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) and the country’s Directorate of Geological Survey and Mines (DGSM).
The project will work together with local communities to reduce the use of mercury in artisanal and small-scale gold mining—the world’s largest source of anthropogenic emissions of mercury pollution— while improving the health and lives of local mining communities. The Ugandan project is part of a global program similarly implemented in 23 countries.
The planetGOLD Uganda project plans to support 4,500 men and women at 11 mine sites in the country, reducing mercury use by 15 tonnes over five years. The project aims to reduce the use of mercury by supporting formalization of the artisanal gold mining sector and increasing access to finance. This will lead to adoption of mercury-free technologies and allow access to more responsible and traceable gold supply chains.
“Artisanal gold mining is a critical source of livelihood for many in Uganda and an important opportunity for economic development. Through the planetGOLD Uganda project, miners will be introduced to solutions to the environmental and social challenges in the sector, helping to transition toward more responsible gold mining practices,” said Ludovic Bernaudat, Head of UNEP’s GEF Chemicals and Waste Portfolio.
A virtual inaugural inception workshop on November 23 brought together Ugandan mining governance authorities and the technical services of the mining administration to introduce the key themes and priorities of the project.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO) (https://bit.ly/2QfzkhL), exposure to mercury – even small amounts – may have toxic effects on the nervous, digestive, and immune systems, and on lungs, kidneys, skin and eyes, as well as pose a threat to the development of the child (https://bit.ly/3V1SdCc) in utero and early in life.
In Uganda, an estimated 90 percent of the country’s gold production (https://bit.ly/3i8zO8h) is mined artisanally, with over 31,000 miners in the artisanal gold sector. While the quantities that miners are extracting and processing are very small, the use of mercury is very common. 73 percent of Uganda’s artisanal gold is produced using mercury (https://bit.ly/3ExiNvT) —resulting in more than 15 tonnes of mercury being released annually.
Mercury contaminates the soil, water, air, and the equipment that is used. It is highly toxic to miners and others who come in direct contact with it—particularly when vaporized or among children and pregnant women. Mercury emitted to the air can also circulate around the world and contaminate water, fish, and wildlife far from the mine from which it was released.
“In 2019, Uganda ratified the Minamata Convention on Mercury (https://www.MercuryConvention.org). We are eager to partner with the planetGOLD Uganda project to implement our commitments to reduce and eliminate the use of mercury in artisanal gold mining. We look forward to introducing a cleaner, more responsible, and more prosperous artisanal mining sector that benefits both the people and the planet,” said Barirega Akankwasa, PhD, Executive Director of the National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA).
“With the growth of the artisanal mining sector over the past decade, Uganda has had to reform its legislative approach to keep up with the changing context of the mining sector. The Mining and Minerals Act 2022 provides the opportunity to support responsible development in the sector, which includes gazetting of artisanal mine sites for easy management, environmental stewardship, improved health and safety at mine sites, and elimination of hazardous chemicals such as mercury,” said Agnes Alaba, Acting Director of the Directorate of Geological Survey and Mines (DGSM).
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of planetGOLD Uganda.Media Contact:
Lynn Gitu
Program Leader, IMPACT
+256 785-162-520 / +256 700-576-874
lgitu@impacttransform.org
Zuzia Danielski
Communications Director, IMPACT
zdanielski@impacttransform.org
Jennifer Wilmore Scroggins
Communications Manager, planetGOLD
jwilmorescroggins@nrdc.org
About planetGOLD:
By working to close the financing gap, supporting formalization, raising awareness, and connecting mining communities with mercury-free technology and formal markets, the planetGOLD programme supported by the Global Environment Facility aims to demonstrate a pathway to cleaner and more efficient small-scale gold mining practices that benefit everyone, from mine to market.
For information about planetGOLD Uganda, please visit: https://www.PlanetGOLD.org/Uganda
About IMPACT:
IMPACT transforms how natural resources are managed in areas where security and human rights are at risk. We investigate and develop approaches for natural resources to improve security, development, and equality. We are an independent non-profit collaborating with local partners for lasting change.
