JATAM | Mining Advocacy Network

Jakarta, July 8, 2010. Year 2010 declared by the United Nations (UN) as the International Year of Biodiversity (International Year of Biodiversity or IYB), with the theme "Biodiversity is Life, Biodiversity Is Our Life."

 

A major report, Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (March 2005) also highlighted the huge losses from the loss of biodiversity on earth, with 10-30% of mammals, birds, and amphibians threatened with extinction, due to human actions, including mining activities. International

International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in a video recorded the number of species threatened with extinction, namely:

   1. 75% of the genetic diversity of agricultural plants has been lost.
   2. 75% of the world experienced over exploitation of fisheries.
   3. Up to 70% of the world's species threatened with extinction if global temperatures rise more than 3.5 ° C.
   4. Third of the coral reefs around the world threatened with extinction.
   5. Every second plot of rainforest the size of a football field disappears.
   6. More than 350 million people suffer severe water scarcity.

Indonesia is one of 17 sites in the world's greatest biodiversity. Halmahera Island, located in the middle zone of wallacea where the developing proliferate endemic species, such as white cockatoos, drummer rail, somber Kingfisher, Dusky friarbird, and parrots (chattering lory). This bird is classified as an endangered species and contained in a list of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in 2007.

For these types of amphibians, there are nine species in Halmahera classified susceptible. Also identified, at least 17 plant species found in the location of contract mining work in Halmahera in the status of vulnerable and threatened.

The threat of destruction of biodiversity Halmahera Island was true when the World Bank through the MIGA (Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency) is planning to support the Weda Bay Nickel mining project in Halmahera Island, North Maluku. Inevitably, this mining project will affect very negative impact on biodiversity.

Number of mining permits contributes greatly to the destruction of biodiversity in Indonesia, both at sea and ashore. In fact, biodiversity has an important role for human life as a source of supply of foodstuffs, clothing, shelter, medicine and also functions as a provider of water resources, clean air and for the sake of tourism. Moreover, biodiversity is also producing a source of foreign exchange to finance the state.

Indonesia was blessed with very high biodiversity with has about 90 types of ecosystem, 40,000 species of plants, animals and 300,000 species.

Finally, the message "Biodiversity, the Future of Our Earth" is used as the theme for World Environment Day 2010 and would not mean anything if it permits the mining of. Weda Bay Nickel threatening biodiversity on Halmahera Island was discontinued. ***