Indiscriminate use of disposable materials are a false protection alternative against COVID-19

Among many other consequences, the health crisis caused by COVID-19 has lead to the unregulated use of disposable materials. In this regard, Mexico’s Plastic Free Alliance has pointed out that rather than being a solution, this situation endangers people’s health and the environment. This is why the Alliance has called upon the local governments to disregard the request of some industrial and political sectors to “reconsider their position on the prohibitions of plastic bags”, as they bring with them serious health and safety issues.

The concern over this request stems from studies that show that Coronavirus can remain between 3 to 6 days on plastic surfaces, which means that every time a disposable plastic instrument is used, the permanence of the virus and contagion among the populations is facilitated.

The issues concerning COVID-19 add up to the increase in plastic waste generation that can have critical effects on the world’s ecosystems for hundreds of years. It is important to take note on the fact that 300 million tons of plastic waste are being produced annually; according to UNESCO, 50% of disposable plastic products are designed to be used once, and a third of these completely eludes recollection systems.

The Masewal community receives international support for the Mining Law to be declared unconstitutional

Earthjustice, the Environmental Defender Law Center (EDLC) and the Inter-American Association for the Defense of the Environment (AIDA) have all shown their support for the Masweal community’s struggle against the Mining Law by delivering amicus curiae briefs to the Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation (SCJN) where they requested that it be deemed unconstitutional as it violates the fundamental human rights of indigenous communities.

Just as the Amparo legal action promoted on March of 2015, the argument of the amicus curiae is that the Mining Law was not consented previously in a free and informed manner by the indigenous communities, and despite the fact that a large number mining concessions are set in indigenous territory, this law failed to develop any tips of mechanism that could protect and respect their rights; particularly the native communities’ right to a free determination over their territory as it threatens the lives they have chosen to have by giving mining activity priority over them.

Finally, the Second Chamber of the Supreme Court (SCJN) has also received support letters from other indigenous communities settled in Mexico, Colombia, Brazil, Bolivia and Guatemala, in addition to the other four thousand ninety one signatures collected up until June 26 which support the petition launched on the platform www.change.org.mx

Position on open sky mining

As part of our goals in CEMDA we promote the protection of biodiversity, the preservation of priority ecosystems as well as the water resource and the environmental services of hydrological basins. It is our job to analyze and intervene in cases and projects that may seriously endanger the ecosystem and that threaten to violate the human rights of the communities.

Since the end of 2018 there have been several initiatives to reform the Mining Law presented to the Supreme Court in addition to the declarations made by the Federal Executive were he stresses the importance of reforming the legal framework to coalesce the creation of sources of employment with sustainable development.

Modern mining is an extractivist that by design implies the endangerment of the people, several communities and the world’s ecosystems. Historically speaking, the greatest consequences caused by this industry have been the impact on the air quality, as well as the reduction of water quantity, without mentioning the sociocultural and health related repercussions.