Topic: The Environmental Impact of Mining
Country: Australia
Delegate Name: Nataleigh Grochoski
School: Forest Hills Eastern High School
Topic page: background guide and all position papers All Australia position papers GLIMUN 2017 committees
Mining is a prominent issue worldwide; releasing harmful substances into the water, air, and soil. Habitats are lost as a result of deforestation; a side effect of the mining process in which a space is cleared for a mine. Explosives are used to destroy mountain tops, and toxic runoff flows from the mines into rivers, severely contaminating them. Water loss is another effect of mining. The mining process shrinks the water table by pumping out water in order to prevent contamination of minerals like coal, and to clear flooded mines for miners. Mines also collect water to use as a dust suppressant which strains the local water supply. A number of health risks are also attributable to mining. Miners’ toxic work conditions are linked to a number of chronic and fatal conditions. Explosives, cave-ins, and equipment accidents also cause many deaths.
Australia is already taking legislative action to reduce the harmful effects of mining. Australia relies on its beautiful environment to draw in tourists from around the world, and mining is destroying natural lands such as the Great Barrier Reef and Kimberley which are some of Australia's top tourist destinations. The Great Barrier Reef serves as a major environmental and economic asset to Australia. The Great Barrier Reef contributed approximately $5.2 billion in Gross Domestic Product in 2005, although this value is slowly declining because of port and shipping activities driven by the mining business. Australia is also currently in a water crisis; facing a 40% water shortfall by 2030 which will only be worsened with an increase in mine activity. The Alpha Coal Mine is a mega-mine planned to be set up in Queensland's remote Galilee basin. The mine will permanently remove 176 billion liters of water which is essential in ending Australia's water crisis. Foreign mining companies are taking over Australian land and destroying it with no benefit to Australia. The majority of the Alpha Coal Mine profits will go overseas. CO2 generated by the coal mine is predicted to be more than some entire countries like Sweden and Denmark produce in a year. Other foreign mine projects such as The China First projects’ open cut coal mine will severely damage environments protected under the Nature Refuge. In order to asses the effects of mining on the environment, Australian Minister Burke halted the Alpha Coal movement. Mining only accounts for 2.5% of Australia's total GDP and reducing the mining business will not have a large impact on Australia's economy. Australia is already beginning to remove BHP Billington from the Miners Council of Australia, which was once dominated by BHP Billington and other large foreign mining companies. Removing large foreign mining companies from the governing bodies keeps them from setting policies in Australia and improves the likelihood that the governing bodies will act in Australia's best interests. Currently, the Australian government is beginning to remove foreign influences and is considering reversing their stance on loaning an Indian company $1 billion towards a coal mine on Australian land. The United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights is urging Australia to rethink the mine, saying that it will destroy Australia's landscape and undermine the country's pledge to the Paris Climate Agreement. The majority of the Australian people are also firmly against the Adani mine project as well as some of Australia's Chief scientists who recommend that the Government establish a clean energy target. Queensland premier Annastacia Palaszczuk pledged to block a $900 million dollar loan which is vital for the coal mine to be built.
In order to preserve Australia's natural beauty, tourism, and freshwater Australia needs a resolution enacted to minimise the environmental impacts of mining. In order to reduce pollution produced by foreign mining companies operating in Australia it is essential that a carbon tax be implemented and other pollution reduction taxes aimed at preserving Australia's freshwater. Tests for heavy metals in the water also need to be legislated, and tighter restrictions on mining by completely banning mining on nature reserves enacted. These policies in aggregate between the United Nations and Australia should have a positive impact on Australia’s environment without any major economic impacts to Australia or its people.
