Impacts Lithium mining Jujuy
On December 29, 2024, representatives from the communities of Cuenca de Salinas Grandes and Laguna de Guayatayoc in the Jujuy province of Argentina wrote a letter of protest against the lithium mining exploration in their territories. These exploration activities, carried out by Lition Energy under the auspices of the Canadian company Pan American Energy Ltd, have been permitted through irregular environmental licenses and permits, violating public participation, collective rights, and indigenous rights. Representing over 30 indigenous communities in the province, the letter highlights the anticipated human rights and environmental damage to their territories, water sources, ecosystems, and cultural identity.
Witnesses:
- Veronika Cháves
Verónica Chávez is from the Tres Pozos Sanctuary community and belongs to the Salinas Grandes–Laguna de Guayatayoc basin. Her resistance against lithium mining has lasted for over 14 years due to the violation of their community rights and the environmental damage caused by the lithium mining companies that are destroying their natural resources.
- Miranda Solís
Miranda Solís holds a degree in Environmental Management and a Law degree from the University of Buenos Aires. She also teaches at the Environmental Law Legal Clinic (FARN – School of Law, University of Buenos Aires). Currently, she collaborates with the Andean Highlands Wetlands Program within FARN’s Environmental Policy Area, which focuses on recognizing the value of these ecosystems for biodiversity conservation, as well as for climate change mitigation and adaptation. Additionally, the program strives to defend the rights of Indigenous communities inhabiting these territories, who face threats from the expansion of lithium mining driven by the dominant energy transition paradigm. In this context, the program—as part of FARN’s overall efforts—also works to promote guidelines for a comprehensive socio-ecological transition within a framework that respects human rights.
About FARN (https://farn.org.ar/)
FARN is a non-governmental, non-profit and non-partisan organization founded in 1985. Its main objective is to promote sustainable development through policy, law and the institutional organization of society. Its work is mainly directed to decision makers, both in the public and private sectors, and to the construction of a democratic and participatory citizenship. To this purpose, they promote access to public information and justice. This is achieved through political, institutional and social advocacy in the environmental public agenda.