Algeria is being seriously affected by climate change, yet authorities have agreed to a dangerous new lead and zinc mine, a joint venture with South Australian based miner .
Professor Leila Bensmaine from the Algerian University of Science and Technology Houari Boumediene, writing in last November, said: 鈥淲hereas the global temperature rise in the twentieth century was 0.74掳C, it was somewhere between 1.5掳C and 2掳C in the Maghreb, depending on the region; more than twice the global average rise.鈥
Due to its geographical location, Algeria is 鈥渙ne of the 24 hotspots that are highly vulnerable to climate change, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)鈥, Bensmaine said.
Moreover, the drop in rainfall 鈥渞anges between 10 and 20%鈥. This has led to depleted dams and badly impacts coastal aquifers and groundwater. In addition, 鈥渞ecurring periods of drought, which have become longer, have exacerbated desertification鈥.
These impacts are exacerbated as globalised neoliberalism is driving the intensive exploitation of natural and mineral resources, degrading the environment, affecting biodiversity and displacing local populations.
This is the context in which university lecturer Kamel Aissat is fighting to protect Algeria鈥檚 environment and challenging a zinc mining project that locals say will contaminate groundwater and displace communities.
South Australian-based mining company is involved in the joint venture to mine zinc and lead from the Tala Hamza mine, on Algeria鈥檚 Mediterranean Sea coast, 15 kilometres from the city of B茅jaia.
According to : 鈥淸Tala Hamza] is owned by Western Mediterranean Zinc, a joint venture between Terramin and Algerian-based Enterprise Nationale des Produits Miniers Non-Ferreux et des Substances Utiles Spa鈥.
was given the green light on May 13 to develop its mining operation. It told the on May 18 that its mining permit means 鈥渢hat Tala Hamza has satisfied all Algerian regulatory, financial and environmental requirements鈥.
said together with its Algerian partners it plans to mine and process 2 million tonnes of zinc ore each year instead of the 1.3 million tonnes anticipated by the 2018 Tala Hamza Definitive Feasibility Study.
It said this indicates the project鈥檚 鈥渞eturns will be enhanced over the anticipated 20+ year mine life鈥.
The mine鈥檚 opponents say it will pose a danger to the population鈥檚 health, threatens to displace entire villages, damage the region鈥檚 flora and fauna and pollute groundwater and a protected Ramsar wetland.
Aissat was banned from leaving the country on July 15 and has been placed under judicial supervision and threatened with arrest. His of his 鈥渋nvolvement in mobilising the local population against this dangerous project鈥.
Opponents of the mine launched a petition weeks ago demanding that 鈥減ublic authorities comply with the law by consulting the population and carrying out an impact study on the environment and public health鈥, said his supporters.
鈥淓verything points to the fact that, if the Tala Hamza mine is developed, not only could several villages and their entire agricultural economy be wiped out, but also the huge water table in the soumame [Soummam] valley (estimated at over 1,600 billion m3), which would be contaminated. The serious consequences of such a scenario, if it were to occur, could even affect the sea and a number of economic activities in the wilaya [province] of B茅ja茂a, particularly the agri-food sector.鈥
A campaign in solidarity with Aissat and the people of Tala Hamza, Amizour and B茅jaia is calling for the legal proceedings against him to be dropped and for an end to repression and intimidation and to respect freedom of expression.