Impacts of Artisanal Small-Scale Mining and Climate Change on Groundwater Security: The Case of the Global South
摘要
Groundwater securityGroundwater security is threatened by human activitiesHuman activity and climate changeClimate change, especially in developing nations where artisanalArtisanal and small-scaleSmall-scale miningMining are pervasive. This chapter examines the dual impacts of artisanalArtisanal small-scaleSmall-scale miningMining and climate changeClimate change on groundwater resources by focusing on two aspects: quality and availability. Most artisanalArtisanal small-scaleSmall-scale miningMining is done without considering any regulatory requirements, and results in the contamination of the groundwater. Simultaneously, climate changeClimate change is increasing the rates of groundwater depletion due to increasing droughtsDrought, altering precipitationPrecipitation patterns, and reduced rates of groundwater rechargeRecharge. Study cases in the Global South illustrate the point of artisanalArtisanal small-scaleSmall-scale miningMining and climate changeClimate change: degradationDegradation of groundwater is very rapid. This chapter, therefore, underlined the imperative need for integrated management, much firmer regulation, and sustainable miningMining that could reduce adverse impacts on groundwater securityGroundwater security in precarious regions. Future trendsTrend have also shown that the activities and impacts related to ASM, as well as those due to climate changeClimate change, may increase due to unending economic pressures, populationPopulation growthGrowth, and the global precious minerals demand, especially in Africa, Latin America, and Asia. Climate modelsModel similarly predict more frequent and severe droughtsDrought that stress groundwater systemsSystem even further. These parallel trendsTrend may result in more acute water shortages that undermine livelihoods and intensify conflicts over water resourcesWater resources. The international communityCommunity and agencies like the United Nations and the World Bank have much to do in the area of capacity building, policy advocacy, and facilitating access to technologyTechnology that moderates environmental damage to ensure the best sustainable practicesPractice that would improve the monitoring and management of groundwater in developing nations for groundwater securityGroundwater security future generations.