THEMES COVERED BY THE THEMATIC SOCIAL FORUM ON MINING & THE EXTRACTIVIST ECONOMY

We are facing the consolidation and intensification of a model of abusive use of the so-called "natural resources", of which mining is an exemplary case, throughout the world. This model, in the name of progress and development, has been devastating and degrading socio- environmentally huge areas, intensifying conditions of global warming and climate injustice. It subjects local economies to a logic of accumulation that privately benefits corporations in the sector, imposes changes and regressions on social and environmental protection laws, impacts the daily lives of traditional, indigenous and peasant communities by violations of human rights, affecting in particular the lives of women and children this edition to guarantee clear perspectives of unfolding, implementation of campaigns and common projects which strengthen the struggle for alternatives to the current extractive model.  

To strengthen the struggles of confrontation and resistance to this model and build alternatives, the main outcomes of the Forum are :  

Objectives of the Thematic Forum

  1. Consolidation of a global network of community-based organisations, social,  and labour movements, environmentalists, NGOs, academics working on alternatives to mining and extractivism;   
  2. Developing perspectives on the path to a just transition, locally and globally; 
  3. Creating dialogue spaces between labour and communities affected by mining and extrativism;  
  4. Consolidate common campaign against key mining companies within the framework of the Right to Say No and reinforcing the existing campaigns such as the UN legally binding treaty on Transnational Corporation and human rights; implementation of Paris Agreement on Climate Change; UN Global Compacts on Migration and Refugees. 

    Key Strategic Debates

    1. The new geopolitics map and the climate change challenges, taking into account the new proposed frameworks (Sustainable Development Goals, green energy, World Bank initiatives, blue economy, etc);  
    2. The connection between the big enterprises and their alliances with government, with regards to regulations, legislation on tax, human rights, etc; 
    3. How to connect the common struggles from below. 
    4. Does labour and community have common interests?  
    5. The link between the extractives and the CARE economy  

    Key Thematic Areas

    1. Ecofeminism and extractivism; 
    2. The Rights to Say No Campaign;  
    3. Communities affected by specific Companies (Valé SA, Glencore, Anglo Ashanti, etc);
    4.  Solidarity with the communities and victims affected by disasters and massacres by mining companies; 
    5. Conflict Criminalisation of human rights defenders and community members/leaders working on exctractivims issues; 
    6. Artisanal small scale vs large scale mining companies: what to do?; 
    7. Example of communities with early success in their struggle: 
    8. What to propose for transition process.   
    9. Financialization of Extractivist activities 
    10. Labour, health & safety, just transition 
    11. Energy Justice  
    12. The rights of Nature and social struggles  
    13. Labour versus community interests  
    14. Traditional leadership a force for progress or an instrument of repression or class formation 
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