{"id":205706,"date":"2024-11-07T10:55:59","date_gmt":"2024-11-07T09:55:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.iucn.nl\/?p=205706"},"modified":"2025-10-16T13:01:09","modified_gmt":"2025-10-16T12:01:09","slug":"minings-impact-on-forests-a-growing-threat-to-biodiversity-and-climate","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.iucn.nl\/en\/blog\/minings-impact-on-forests-a-growing-threat-to-biodiversity-and-climate\/","title":{"rendered":"Mining\u2019s impact on forests: a growing threat to biodiversity and climate\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"
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A new report from the World Resources Institute (WRI) sheds light on the growing threat of mining on forests, especially in tropical primary rainforests and protected areas that are critical for biodiversity and climate regulation. The lands of Indigenous Peoples\u2019 and local communities are also increasingly affected by mining-related deforestation.<\/strong>\u00a0<\/h4>\n<\/div>\n\n
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Headerphoto: Nickel mine in Sulawesi (c) Garry Lotulung<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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As global demand for minerals such as cobalt and nickel rises due to the energy transition, mining is becoming a major cause of deforestation. The WRI report<\/a> highlights the need for responsible practices and better governance to minimize these impacts for important ecosystems and the people who depend on them for their livelihoods.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

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From 2001 to 2020, mining activities were responsible for the loss of 1.4 million hectares of forest cover. Of this, 450,000 hectares occurred in tropical primary rainforests, which are among the most carbon-dense and biodiverse ecosystems globally. Additionally, 150,000 hectares of this loss took place in protected areas, and 260,000 hectares affected lands belonging to Indigenous Peoples and local communities[1]<\/sup><\/a>Mining Is Increasingly Pushing into Critical Rainforests and Protected Areas | World Resources Institute<\/a><\/span><\/span>