Statement by “Ecolur” Informational NGO on behalf of additional signatories
Just one week before COP17, the Armenian government took part in the ceremonial launching of the Amulsar gold mining project that directly violates the CBD and the Bern Convention, and is a setback to achieving most of the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) targets.
The Amulsar project is characterized by the scale of its impact and poses far-reaching environmental and social risks. The gold content in the ore is only 0.78 grams per tonne, necessitating the use of a cyanide-based extraction process. The volume of overburden - waste rock containing a complex mixture of heavy metals - is estimated to be between 250 and 300 million tonnes.
The entire project infrastructure is situated in the heart of Armenia’s water sources system, in an area characterized by rich biodiversity. According to WWF Armenia publication, the area provides habitat for more than 25 animal species and at least two plant species listed in the Red Data Book of Armenia and protected under both national and international law. The project boundaries lie between 5 and 13 kilometers from the world-renowned balneological resort of Jermuk.
Operating an open-pit mine at Amulsar sets Armenia back from achieving most of the targets of the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF).
Targets 1 and 4 are not being met. Amulsar is characterized by rich biodiversity that requires protection. The project’s activities - including blasting, the operation of heavy machinery, and the dumping of tonnes of waste rock and tailings - pose a serious threat to local biodiversity and risk the loss of animal and plant species.
Armenia is failing to meet Target 3, as the boundaries of the planned Jermuk National Park have been revised to exclude areas allocated to the Amulsar mining project. Furthermore, the Jermuk and Gorayk sites, previously proposed as candidate sites for the Emerald Network, is planning to remove, despite meeting the criteria for designation under the Bern Convention. These changes exclude areas affected by or allocated to the Amulsar project, undermining efforts to protect biodiversity and comply with the Convention.
Target 7 is not being met, given the environmental risks posed by the project, including acid mine drainage, poisoning water and land with heavy metals.
Targets 8, 14, and 18(b) are likewise at risk of being undermined by the threats outlined above.
The EIAs for the Amulsar mining project and respective conclusions are seriously deficient, and the demands to conduct a new EIA have been rejected by the government of Armenia.
Target 19 calls for mobilizing funding from all sources for biodiversity conservation. In the case of the Amulsar mining project, the biodiversity offset scheme financed by the lending banks, simply enabled the legitimization of an illegal project.
The Armenian government has also violated Target 22 establishes public participation in decision-making, while many people opposing the project have faced SLAPPS, and target 23, which aims to ensure gender equality.