Category: sustainability

Indigenous Groups Demand Change at COP30

The United Nations Climate Change Conference, or COP, brings together nearly every country annually for a “multilateral decision-making forum on climate change.” Leaders in business, science, governance, and civil society organizations attend to “strengthen global, collective and inclusive climate action.” In the first organized protests at a major climate summit since 2021, thousands of Indigenous activists marched the streets of Belém, Brazil, the site of COP30 in 2025, to demand action on a range of issues. COP30 Executive Director Ana Toni stressed that the protestors had legitimate concerns and that Brazil’s democratic government allows for “different forms of protest.” Protestors travelled from across South America to call for Indigenous representation in the formulation of global climate policy and to spotlight local Indigenous land sovereignty issues.  

Leaders at COP30 climate panel
Leaders discuss climate action at COP30 panel. By: peopleimages.com. Source: Adobe Stock. Asset ID#: 1782077705

Demand for Demarcation 

Signs at the marches read “demarcation now,” demanding that states, particularly Brazil, transfer legal ownership of land to Indigenous peoples. Brazil’s Minister for Indigenous Peoples, Sonia Guajajara, echoed the protesters’ sentiment, claiming that one goal of COP30 is to ensure that “countries recognise the demarcation of Indigenous lands as climate policy.” Demarcation is more than an issue of sovereignty or law; it is also a strategy for environmental conservation. Indigenous communities tend to their local forests and bodies of water using unique cultural knowledge. Some research suggests that Indigenous caretaking can enhance wildlife biodiversity, decrease deforestation, and mitigate disease. The UN’s Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) recognizes that Indigenous cultural practices “[contribute] to sustainable and equitable development and proper management of the environment.”  

Amid the encroachment of mining companies and the recent authorization of oil drilling near the mouth of the Amazon River, one Indigenous leader stated, “We want our lands free from agribusiness, oil exploration, illegal miners and illegal loggers.” He also said, “We can’t eat money,” critiquing the focus on climate finance at previous COP summits while environmental degradation continues.

Advocates have called for the Brazilian government to abandon the marco temporal legal theory, which holds that only lands allotted to Indigenous peoples during the 1988 adoption of the Brazilian constitution are eligible for demarcation.

In a breakthrough, the Brazilian government announced at COP30 that it would, for the first time since 2018, demarcate ten Indigenous lands. The UNDRIP states that redress, including land repatriation, should be provided to Indigenous peoples whose property was taken without their consent. All 193 UN member states have adopted the UNDRIP, but it is a non-binding declaration, meaning states must decide whether to incorporate its ideals in their national laws. Brazil’s demarcation efforts exemplify the commitments outlined in the UNDRIP.

Violence in Guarani-Kaiowá

The murder of Guarani and Kaiowá Indigenous peoples during the final week of COP30 by private security forces demonstrates the importance of demarcation and protection of Indigenous lands and their peoples. Attacks on the Guarani and Kaiowá communities over land disputes in the state of Mato Grosso Do Sul, Brazil, have an ongoing history. In 2024, the head of UN Human Rights in South America called for land demarcation and a full investigation into these attacks. In the Guarani-Kaiowá struggle to regain sovereignty over their land, which has largely been lost to agribusiness, activists and spokespersons have been targeted by security forces allegedly hired by estate owners.  

Global Witness has tracked murders and disappearances of environmental defenders since 2012, and Indigenous leaders, particularly in Central and South American countries, are overrepresented among the victims of these attacks. According to the report, extractive, land, and agribusiness industries have been linked to these attacks. These attacks underscore the importance of demarcation for Indigenous peoples in South America. 

Indigenous woman walks on a mountainside in Peru.
Indigenous woman walks on a mountainside in Peru. By: sayrhkdsu. Source: Adobe Stock. Asset ID#: 451597782

Brazil’s Environmental Policy 

Before the conference, the Brazilian government positioned itself as a climate leader, but some have criticized the current administration’s inconsistent attitude toward environmental conservation. President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has overseen a significant reduction in deforestation, which was ramped up under former President Bolsonaro’s leadership, but some environmental groups have denounced the recent authorization of oil drilling near the Amazon River. The president argues that oil will remain a necessity for years to come and that Brazilians should profit from it. Others point to the Amazon rainforest’s crucial role in storing carbon and reducing global atmospheric greenhouse gases. Some evidence suggests that the Amazon could become a savannah in the coming years as deforestation and drought intensify.  

Like Brazil’s broader environmental policy, recent actions have included successes for Indigenous rights, as well as failures to protect marginalized groups. The country recently undertook the Ywy Ipuranguete, or “Beautiful Land“, initiative, which aims to strengthen Indigenous-led land management efforts across fifteen Indigenous lands, accounting for six million hectares of land. The Brazilian Biodiversity Fund states, “the project focuses on strengthening sustainable territorial management.” When Indigenous communities are given access to collective property rights over land, there is a marked decrease in deforestation in these areas. Experts at a 2019 UN conference highlighted the importance of Indigenous participation in conservation efforts. 

The Federal Prosecutor’s Office in Brazil is suing the mining company Vale and the Brazilian government for “heavy metal contamination in the bodies of Xikrin Indigenous people.” The company’s nickel mining contaminated the Catete River and Indigenous lands, the lawsuit alleges. A study conducted by the Federal University of Para found nickel levels as high as 2,326% above the safe limit in one woman.  

Aerial view of Amazon rainforest in Brazil.
Aerial view of Amazon rainforest in Brazil. By: Curioso.Photography. Source: Adobe Stock. Asset ID#: 339931047

COP30 Outcome 

Brazil’s tepid attitude towards climate policy reflects the results of COP30. While $5.5 billion was raised for the Tropical Forests Forever Fund, with 20% going to Indigenous communities, the Conference fell short of an explicit commitment to move away from fossil fuels—despite a warning from scientist Carlos Nobre before the final talks that continuing fossil fuel use beyond 2040 will lead to catastrophic temperature increases, collapsing the Amazon rainforest ecosystem. UN leadership emphasized the significance of a multilateral agreement in an era of geopolitical strife, despite the agreement’s limitations. The COP30 president, André Corrêa do Lago, conceded that “some […] had greater ambitions for some of the issues at hand,” acknowledging the gap between the Indigenous protestors’ demands for a radical change in climate policy and the material commitments made at the Conference. 

In a potent moment of recognition for Indigenous grievances, do Lago held an Indigenous baby before leading a group of protestors to an hours-long discussion. Indigenous participation in COP30 yielded wins for Indigenous communities, even if the global commitments did not go as far as some hoped. 15 governments agreed to support the Intergovernmental Land Tenure Commitment, which will “collectively recognise and strengthen 160 million hectares of Indigenous Peoples and local community lands” across tropical forest regions. While progress in the fight for environmental protection and Indigenous rights is staggered, Indigenous protestors made their presence felt at COP30, showing the world that Indigenous participation in environmental conservation matters. 

 

Clean Energy, Poor Practices: Africa’s Minerals Power Renewables

At the second African Climate Summit, leaders discussed the role of Africa’s critical minerals in climate change and sustainable development. The African Union’s joint statement at the global COP30 climate summit highlighted the continent’s potential to be a climate leader, with its “abundant natural resources, […] young and dynamic workforce, and vast renewable energy potential.” This article examines Africa’s mineral industry, which could be key to the fight against the climate crisis. 

Africa’s Minerals and Renewable Energy 

The world is moving away from fossil fuels and towards clean energy, as renewables become the world’s dominant energy source. This is necessary to limit emissions and strive toward climate goals such as the Paris Agreement’s commitment to keeping the global temperature increase under 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, but non-fossil fuel renewable energy alternatives also require the extraction of Earth’s natural resources.  

As countries across the world push forward with the latest energy transition—the shift from traditional energy sources like coal and oil to renewable energy like wind and solar—Africa’s mineral deposits are increasingly critical to supplying the world’s energy. They store much of the world’s “transition minerals,” natural resources used in renewable technologies like lithium-ion batteries and solar panels. At the Africa Climate Summit 2025, the UN Economic Commissioner for Africa warned that there was the potential to “repeat the exploitative patterns of the past,” as the demand for the minerals used in renewable technologies increases. 

The transition mineral industry is fraught with human rights abuses, notably labor rights violations and environmental injustices. Violations of the 23rd article of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which protects workers’ rights to favorable working conditions and living wages, are commonplace. The Democratic Republic of the Congo has been at the center of conversations regarding Africa’s mining industry, where conflict, illegal mining operations, and smuggling endanger the people who provide the minerals for the world’s technology. 

Exploitation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) 

The Business and Human Rights Resource Centre tracked 178 cases of abuse from 2010-2024 in the transition mineral industry; mines in the DRC accounted for over half of these abuses. In a 2023 report, Amnesty International found that “multinational mining companies are forcibly evicting communities from their homes and farmlands in the name of energy transition mining” in the DRC. The exploitation present in the DRC is exacerbated by violent conflict, corporate irresponsibility, and the prevalence of illegal, dangerous operations. 

Miners carry supplies in an African mine
Miners carry supplies in a mine. Rubaya, DRC. By: Erberto Zani. Source: Adobe Stock. Asset ID#: 1047185175

Conflict Minerals in the DRC 

Key to the conflict between the DRC government and the Rwanda-backed M23 rebel group has been control of valuable mines, like Rubaya’s coltan mine. Coltan is an ore that contains tantalum, which is used in the electric car batteries that are key to reducing fossil fuel reliance in transportation. In Rubaya, armed militants patrol impoverished workers, including children, who earn a meager wage to mine and transport coltan. A UN report revealed that a Rwandan exporter purchased coltan that was smuggled by militant groups in the DRC, funding the M23’s deadly offensive in the Eastern DRC. When minerals are used to finance and compound human rights abuses, they are called “conflict minerals.”  

Conflict Minerals in the Corporate Supply Chain 

Tesla, which uses tantalum in their products, outlines a “responsible materials policy” and explicitly states that it has made efforts to “eliminate from [their] value chain any benefits [their] sourcing of these materials may give to armed groups in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and its adjoining countries.” However, a Global Witness report details how smuggled minerals, like coltan from Rubaya, are sourced from unvalidated mines and “laundered,” ending up in the global supply chain. The report names Tesla as one of the companies potentially profiting from this system. The use of conflict minerals in consumer products is just one facet of the human rights implications of transition minerals. Another important aspect to consider is how these natural resources are obtained. 

Electric cars charging at charging station outdoors at sunset.
Electric cars charging at charging station. By: logoboom. Source: Adobe Stock. Asset ID#: 484699085

Unregulated Mining: Ramifications of Informal Operations 

Illegal and informal mining operations also put people at risk. Artisanal and small-scale mining sites can expose miners to toxic chemicals like arsenic and cyanide, and the overcrowded conditions produce a high risk of infectious disease, among other dangers. Transition minerals like cobalt are among the resources obtained through artisanal and small-scale mining in the DRC. Harvard researcher Siddarth Kara, in a conversation with NPR, outlines the hazardous conditions, child labor, and corruption embedded in cobalt mining in the DRC. He calls the conditions “modern-day slavery.” 

An Overview of Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining 

The transition mineral industry is driving the use of illegal artisanal and small-scale mining operations in Africa. 10 million sub-Saharan Africans are artisanal and small-scale miners. Artisanal and small-scale mining is a diverse practice, mostly carried out by subsistence miners or small-scale industry, and some believe that artisanal and small-scale mining has the potential to provide critical minerals and drive economic development in Africa. However, it is a complex and controversial practice with consequences for labor and environmental rights. 

Artisanal and small-scale mining can be driven by poverty and scarce employment opportunities. Other actors, like Chinese nationals, also participate in the practice, benefiting from what is often an illegal and unregulated system. 

Unregulated artisanal and small-scale mining can threaten environmental health, which has downstream effects on human health. Artisanal and small-scale mining has been linked to water pollution, mercury contamination, and reduced water flow to nearby agriculture. Artisanal mining was responsible for high levels of mercury in crops, water, and the miners themselves in Ghana. Others criticize the practice for driving up the cost of living by displacing local activities like food production, thereby trapping workers in a cycle of poverty. 

Artisanal miner in Mauritania using mercury, a highly toxic chemical, to agglomerate gold
Artisanal miner in Mauritania using mercury, a highly toxic chemical, to agglomerate gold. By: Christophe. Source: Adobe Stock. Asset ID#: 524805503

An Economically Sustainable and Human-Oriented Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining Sector 

Despite challenges, the artisanal and small-scale mining sector has the potential to drive economic growth and provide a livelihood for millions of Africans. One proposed step toward a more equitable and community-focused artisanal and small-scale mining sector is formalizing the mining process in a way that does not simply issue more licenses but also considers environmental and social responsibility. A “livelihood-oriented formalization” can mean miners have a secure income rather than working for shelter, food, or a small share of profits; implementing worker safety principles can reduce accidents and limit the spread of communicable disease. Formalizing artisanal and small-scale mining should include a comprehensive reconsideration of the current processes, with the well-being of miners at the forefront. 

Corporate and Government Responsibility 

Transition mining involves small-scale operations, but large multinational corporations also play a significant role in determining how minerals are obtained. The role of corporate social responsibility in mitigating human rights abuses is controversial. Companies like Tesla, as mentioned before, have come under fire for being complicit in the sale of conflict minerals, and mining companies expel people from their homes. In recent years, multinational corporations have begun to consider themselves as part of the solution to human rights issues in Africa. Corporations that adopt rigorous due diligence standards can offset some of the failures of fragile governments, such as the DRC, in enforcing industry-wide rules. 

Hope for an Equitable Transition Mineral Industry 

Africa’s critical transition minerals will be vital to replacing fossil fuels that pollute the atmosphere and accelerate climate change. With an equitable structure, the mining industry has the potential to bring jobs and capital to Africa; however, the current prevailing model of unregulated and dangerous mines, conflict-sourced minerals, entrenched poverty, and chronic environmental damage is not sustainable or fair to the people who supply some of the world’s most valuable and necessary resources. In recent years, some legal progress has been made; Congolese miners have won cases against cobalt mining companies for wrongful termination, injury compensation, and union representation. Continuing these efforts could bring about a world powered by renewable energy that doesn’t sacrifice miners’ human rights. 

Amplifying Indigenous Rights & Reclaiming Sovereignty: A Human Rights Perspective in 2025

Amplifying Indigenous Rights & Reclaiming Sovereignty: A Human Rights Perspective in 2025

A view of sign "Respect Indigenous Lands" during The Climate Strike on Burrard Bridge in Vancouver
A view of sign “Respect Indigenous Lands” during The Climate Strike on Burrard Bridge in Vancouver By: Margarita Source: Adobe Stock Asset ID#: 424352523

Local Example: Indigenous Youth and Environmental Advocacy

Indigenous communities worldwide have endured centuries of marginalization, land loss, and cultural erosion from colonial policies—patterns mirrored in Alabama by the Mvskoke (Creek), Cherokee, and Choctaw peoples. The principles of self-determination (UNDRIP Art. 3), cultural integrity (UNDRIP Art. 8), and land rights (UDHR Art. 17) form the backbone of international frameworks like the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), yet they’ve been systematically violated here. Understanding the legal, historical, and cultural ties between these principles and the human rights violations committed against indigenous peoples helps unpack questions around local sovereignty, environmental justice, and global human rights. This post links these global issues to Alabama’s realities, centering voices like the Poarch Band of Creek Indians (PCI) in their fight for cultural survival.

The Ongoing Challenge: Legal Barriers

Despite international frameworks like UNDRIP and national laws intended to protect Indigenous rights, significant challenges remain. The 1830 Indian Removal Act still echoes in legal briefs, and blood-quantum rules continue to limit tribal membership and threaten the continuity of communities. In Alabama, the Poarch Band of Creek Indians remains the only federally recognized tribe, which means many groups lack access to the critical resources and legal protections that come with federal recognition.

So, what echoes of the 1830 Indian Removal Act do we still see in legal briefs today? The big thing is how federal power over Native nations gets justified. Lawyers and courts still reference the government’s “plenary power” to control Native land, citizenship, and policy. This logic comes straight from the same paternalistic, colonial mindset that led to forced removals and broken treaties in the first place. In human rights language, this is a problem because it clashes with the principle that all peoples have the right to determine their own affairs and maintain control over their culture and territory. This is simply called the right to self-determination. When legal arguments rely on these old precedents, it shows that the legacy of the Indian Removal Act isn’t just history—it’s still shaping the boundaries of Indigenous rights today.

Now, let’s talk blood quantum. Blood quantum is the idea of using fractions—like “one-quarter” or “one-eighth” Native ancestry—to decide who is officially recognized as Indigenous. This system was imposed by the U.S. government as a way to shrink tribal rolls, limit legal obligations, and ultimately erode Indigenous communities over time. From a human rights perspective, blood quantum rules undermine the rights to identity, community, and non-discrimination. They reduce belonging to math, not lived culture. Over generations, these rules threaten to erase entire groups by making it harder for people to claim their heritage or pass it on.

Understanding blood quantum rules is a real-world example of how discrimination can be built into legal systems and policies—not just through obvious prejudice, but through technicalities that seem neutral on the surface. History is full of legal exclusions, and learning about Indigenous struggles connects to broader fights for justice and equality that affect all marginalized communities.

In summary, blood quantum rules conflict with core human rights values: the right to dignity, equality before the law, and the right for peoples to define their own identity. Recognizing how these rules work helps us see where human rights fall short in practice, and why these issues matter for anyone who cares about justice.

Opportunities for support and community do exist– the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s Minority Association of Pre-Health Students supports underrepresented pre-med students—including those from Indigenous backgrounds—through mentorship and support services, and beyond the classroom, students can engage with Indigenous culture and history through campus and community events. For example, the Mvskoke Nation Creek Friends Festival in Tory, Alabama, and the Trail of Tears Remembrance Ride in northern Alabama offer opportunities to learn directly from Indigenous leaders and participate in cultural preservation.​

The Importance of Awareness and Informed Engagement

The challenges faced by Indigenous communities—such as language loss, environmental threats, and legal barriers—are significant. However, awareness and informed participation are powerful tools for change. People can make a difference by learning more, attending events, and engaging in campus discussions about human rights.

Conclusion

True justice for Indigenous communities in Alabama and elsewhere extends far beyond simply recognizing these groups’ history and struggles. It requires an ongoing commitment to learning, listening, and advocating for meaningful change. This means examining the systems and policies that have contributed to inequality and being willing to challenge them, even when it’s uncomfortable. Supporting Indigenous-led movements and respecting their sovereignty are crucial steps in this process.

Education is also a powerful tool—by learning about Indigenous histories and current issues, we can dispel myths and foster greater empathy, justice, and a moral society. But knowledge alone isn’t enough; it’s essential to translate understanding into action, whether that’s through volunteering, policy advocacy, or standing in solidarity at community events. Amplifying Indigenous voices ensures that solutions reflect the needs and perspectives of those most affected.

Ultimately, building a human rights community benefits everyone. Each of us has a role to play, whether as students, educators, or neighbors. When we choose to engage, support, and advocate, we help create a future where human rights and justice are not just ideals and theories, but realities experienced by all.

Where Do You Go When Your Country Sinks?

How the climate has changed

Our planet is mostly blue. About 71% of the Earth’s surface is covered by water, leaving less than a third as land. Throughout the 20th century, sea levels rose about 0.06 inches each year. But over the past two decades, that rate has more than doubled, now rising to about 0.14 inches (.36 cm) per year.

While those numbers may seem small, they gradually add up to a significant amount. Just in 30 years (1993-2023) global sea levels have risen about 4 inches (10 cm), enough to erase entire stretches of coastline; a single inch of additional rise can take away anywhere from 4 to 9 feet of beach . Let’s say that 6.5 feet (1.98 meters) of beach is lost with every extra inch. If levels rise 4 inches, nearly 26 feet (7.9 meters) of coastline disappears in 30 years.

Sea levels near a doc, it is shown that part of the stairs that go down to something are flooded.
By: Richard Source: Adobe Stock Asset ID#: 311767670

Who is affected?

Now imagine living somewhere where the average elevation is about 3 to 10 feet above sea level.  Imagining the impact of 4 inches is hard, but if sea levels are rise a mere 1.5 feet (45 cm) by 2100, only 23% of the Maldives will remain above water. Today, the Maldives has a population of around 540,000 people. If levels continue rising, it means that in just 2 generations the country will be almost completely submerged underwater and uninhabitable.

Another country in danger of disappearance is Kiribati. It lies in the central Pacific Ocean with average elevations of about 6 feet (1.8 meters). While not at the same level of danger as the Maldives, their chances of surviving rising sea levels remain low. In 2008, the Kiribati president asked the countries of Australia and New Zealand to accept Kiribati citizens for permanent relocation. Presently two of the islands of the Republic of Kiribati, Tebua Tarawa and Abanuea, are completely underwater. Many communities and towns have been forced to uproot and move further inland due to the destruction of farmland caused by saltwater.

These island countries are not the only ones at risk when it comes to rising sea levels. Coastal cities in the U.S. will suffer similar fates. New York, for instance, is highly impacted by flooding, and it is estimated that in just 25 years almost 500,000 people will experience living on “threatened land,” which refers to areas that are at risk of flooding. Besides New York, Florida is at the highest risk of experiencing extreme flooding and shrinking coastlines.

The Islands of the Maldives from a bird's eye view
By: raul77 Source: Adobe Stock Asset ID#: 532722555

Protections against climate change

Currently, there are no regulations on how to define those who are forced to leave their homes due to climate-related changes. Displacement can come from gradual causes, like rising sea levels, or sudden ones, like hurricanes, but in both cases, there is no clear international law to guide what happens next. However, when there is a hurricane that causes significant damage, the response is more obvious than the response to gradual change. People are rendered homeless in a matter of days, and neighboring countries and foreign allies provide necessary aid to help sustain those affected.

With climate change, though, in this case rising sea levels, displacement becomes much more gradual. Bit by bit people are pushed inland, and while most do not want to leave their home countries, in some cases, they are left with no choice but to flee.  With the current international law, it is difficult to receive help. Those seeking to relocate are met with lengthy processes and a lack of support.

In 2012, a Kiribati national was severely affected by the rising sea levels. He stated that because of the salt affecting the land he had no way of growing food, so he applied to be a “climate refugee” and seek asylum in New Zealand. His application was rejected and his appeal denied, with New Zealand’s government stating that climate change is not a recognized condition for refugee status.

Articles in the UDHR (Universal Declaration of Human Rights) are meant to protect people from harm and provide solutions in the case of extreme conditions. Under Article 14, people have a right to seek asylum in other countries in the case of persecution. The article does not mention anything about climate change, and climate change is not considered to be persecution. This is important in the case of the Kiribati national, because while he is justified for wanting to seek asylum, there is not a law that protects him against climate change.

This is not to say that the articles in the UDHR cannot be used to justify the fact that such displacements constitute a human rights violation. Article 25 promises the right to food and shelter. Rising sea levels bring salt water into agricultural lands and contaminate the fresh water supply needed to sustain crop growth. This directly threatens countries’ abilities to grow food, which limits their access to either have access to their own crops or use those crops in trade. Sealife also becomes impacted through warming and rising oceans. Fish, which is one of the main food groups for island countries, become scarcer as their coral reef habitats die.

Flooding that is covering homes, roads, and agriculture
By: bilanol Source: Adobe Stock Asset ID#: 360498460

Conclusion

Climate change is already having significant impacts on today’s society; however, there are not any straightforward solutions for those impacted by it yet. It is clear that if sea levels continue to rise, there will have to be modifications made for those displaced through reasons other than persecution. From a human rights perspective, laws that protect those who are losing their homes and countries due to rising sea levels will be imperative in the future.

Climate change is gradual and constant, and many people do not think about it, but it is still a humanitarian crisis. In the poorer countries, it continues to be the main driver for humanitarian aid. But aid is temporary, and it eventually runs out, which is why there is a need for lawfully binding change. In the future we can hope that laws around asylum for displacement will adopt broader conditions, but for now, it is important to support those who are already experiencing it.

Zambia Acid Spill: The Death of a River and the Ongoing Struggle of Local Communities to Recover

​This year in Zambia, Chambishi residents saw the Kafue River die before their eyes. Millions of liters of acidic, contaminated water containing toxic mining chemicals burst from a dam in February. Crops and animals died as residents suffered the effects of careless mining practices. This incident raises questions about environmental concerns regarding current mining practices in Zambia, as well as how to address cleanup and compensation for affected communities whose human rights were violated by this event.

Dam Failure and Toxic Water Spill

On February 18, a dam at the Sino-Metals Leach Zambia mining site collapsed, releasing a reported 50 million liters of contaminated water that flooded into the Chambishi Copper Belt region. Toxic spillage, containing heavy metals and high levels of acidity, flowed at least 60 miles down the Kafue River, a major river in Zambia used by many locals for fishing, irrigation, and water.

Image of the Kafue River in Zambia
Image of the Kafue River Source: Olympian Xeus, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

The immediate effects on the region were apparent in the devastation to local wildlife. The head of a Zambian monitoring group, Nsama Rusonda, reported the aftermath of the acid spill was shocking, saying, “It was a horror to see maize, bean crops that were green the night before, just turn brown. Tonnes of dead fish were floating in local riverways.” The environmental devastation was one of the first things to catch locals’ attention, but as time goes on, more and more effects of the toxic spill are becoming apparent.

Initial Reports and Health Concerns of Residents

The Kafue River is one of the largest rivers in Zambia, and many locals use it as a source of water for drinking, washing, and for their animals and crops. In the days after the spill, people ingested toxins through contaminated water and food, leading to “headaches, coughs, diarrhea, muscle cramps, and even sores on their legs.” Zambia’s reliance on the Kafue also exacerbates the seriousness of the crisis. 21 million people live in Zambia, and more than half rely on the river for water. For example, health concerns led to the water being turned off in the city of Kitwe, leaving 700,000 people without access to water. To drive home the magnitude of this catastrophe, Kitwe is Zambia’s second-largest city, and cutting off water to 700,000 people would be like cutting off the water to all of Washington, DC.

​Officials from the Sino-Metal mining company expressed their regret for the incident shortly after it occurred, stating their intent to assist both with environmental cleanup efforts and to re-establish the economic means of affected individuals. To determine the scope of the damage, Sino-Metals needed to conduct an ecological study. South African company Drizit found that 1.5 million tonnes of hazardous waste were released during the dam collapse, 30 times the 50,000 tonnes initially reported by Sino-Metal. The need for outside observers during environmental disasters is crucial. It’s necessary to provide an objective report on the damage that communities and nations, particularly developing ones, have suffered, so they can respond appropriately, warn their residents, and hold parties accountable for human rights violations.

Official Response

​In the days after the spill, the Zambian government worked to reverse the environmental damage. Hundreds of tons of lime were dumped into affected waterways in an effort to combat acidity from the spill. Zambian officials faced the challenge of finding an appropriate response that balanced harm to residents with environmental concerns, while also working with foreign powers and important infrastructure investments in their country. When Sino-Metals gave a $580,000 payout, Zambian Vice-President Nalumango remarked that this must be coupled with neutral environmental analysis to ensure proper reparations. Nalumango further said, “If the damage to the land and livelihoods proves to be more extensive or long-lasting than initially understood, then further compensation will be necessary and it will be pursued.” This approach will allow flexibility in Zambia’s approach, enabling it to assess whether additional negative effects arise for residents over time and then pursue more compensation accordingly.

Vice-President of Zambia Mutale Nalumango
Vice-President of Zambia Mutale Nalumango Source: Chellah Tukuta Rancen, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Despite the words promising accountability and help from Sino-Metal, Zambia’s ability to force them into meaningful action remains limited. In direct response to the acid spill, Zambia fined Sino-Metals $50,000. This fine is not enough for restoration efforts and is an insignificant amount compared to the widespread damage to Zambia and the harm done to communities. Differences in political and economic power between countries may create additional difficulties when a smaller country is seeking recourse against a larger one. This may especially true for Zambia, a country heavily dependent on copper production, which has received $3.5 billion in investments from China in the past two decades associated with mining and metal in Zambia. Such dependence on economic support from larger countries may dissuade countries from taking action against foreign players in order to continue receiving funding.

Recent Analysis

​While bureaucracy and legal proceedings may take months, residents face daily struggles in the aftermath of the disaster. Conditions from the spill persist in their toxicity to such a degree that Finland issued a travel advisory regarding high levels of toxic heavy metals in the water, and the US embassy issued an evacuation order for all officials from the area, citing health concerns related to the environmental state. In light of such serious concerns raised by other countries, Zambia was thrust into the international spotlight.

With global attention, Zambia seemed to dismiss concerns and assure that harms had been dealt with. A spokesperson from Zambia reported, “pH levels have returned to normal and concentrations of heavy metals are steadily decreasing, which means that the immediate danger to human, animal and plant life has been averted.”

Image of a conveyor belt with coal on it at a mine
Conveyor systems, often used in mining operations. Source: pkproject via Adobe Stock Images, Licensed for Educational Use

Residents affected by the pollution continue to complain of many physical ailments, including headaches and diarrhea, but the Zambian government’s dismissive attitudes towards concerns seems as though they are prioritizing their appearance and foreign investors over their citizens’ right to health.

While the mining sector is crucial for much of Zambia’s economic activity, it is, from a human rights standpoint, unacceptable for the government to not protect its citizens and to ignore or hide obvious and continued harms. A government’s duty to the wellbeing of its citizens should be foremost in its response during a crisis.

Chinese Influences and Zambia’s Future

​This is not the only time mining activities have concerned residents in Zambia. In the past, residents have contracted lead poisoning from pollution incidents and mining operations, while schools have been shut down due to noise and hazardous chemicals.

Balancing China’s interests in minerals with protecting Zambia’s environment and communities is a difficult task for Zambia, especially when they have received billions in funding from China and are over $4 billion in debt to China. These power imbalances can lead to struggles for accountability and justice at both the community and national levels.

This toxic spill is only one event in a disturbing pattern of environmental devastation in Zambia. Access to clean water, secure livelihoods, and environmental justice are crucial to the survival and well-being of many residents. The Zambian response to this latest disaster will set expectations for future interactions and shape the fate of thousands of Zambians, and it is to be hoped that Zambia prioritizes its citizens’ human rights over all other concerns.

High-Income Countries Retreat from a Healthy Environment

Secretary-General António Guterres (right) meets with King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Sweden.
Secretary-General António Guterres (right) meets with King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Sweden. UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe.

Introduction

Global efforts aim to achieve net-zero CO₂ and limit warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels by 2050 (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, 2018). However, current national policies remain misaligned with this goal, with trends in several high-income countries falling short of necessary reductions (Climate Action Tracker, 2023). For example, Sweden, once a leader in climate control and environmental justice, is now retreating from its commitments. The 2024 report by the Swedish Climate Policy Council shows that recent decisions reflect a de-prioritization of national climate goals (Swedish Climate Policy Council, 2024). Meanwhile, mounting pressures to accelerate the fossil fuel phase-out at the 29th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP29) were met with diplomatic compromises that failed to commit to a full phase-out, disappointing many climate advocates (Carlin, 2024). These are not isolated developments. They signal an increasing pattern of high-income countries placing domestic economic and geopolitical priorities over environmental rights. As climate risks escalate, these decisions reflect a strategic withdrawal from global responsibility.

Legal Foundations of Environmental Justice

The right to a healthy environment is more than an aspirational claim; it is deeply rooted in international human rights law. In 1948, Article 25 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) affirmed the right to a standard of living adequate for health and wellbeing (United Nations, 1948). Article 12 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) further codified this right in 1966, obligating states actors to seek improvement in “all aspects of environmental and industrial hygiene” (United Nations, 1966). The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and the World Health Organization (WHO) jointly issued General Comment No. 14 in 2008, clarifying that the right to health is directly undermined by environmental degradation and must be addressed through preventative action (OHCHR & WHO, 2008).

These legal foundations, as mirrored in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), conclusively link environmental protection to human dignity and global equity. The SDGs – specifically (3) good health and well-being, (6) clean water and sanitation, (13) climate action, and (16) peace, justice, and strong institutions – reinforce the technical and practical dimensions of environmental rights (United Nations, 2015; OHCHR, n.d.). The United Nations General Assembly added to this evolving legal architecture through Resolution 76/300, which formally recognizes the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment as “crucial to the enjoyment of all human rights” (United Nations General Assembly, 2022). In combination, these mechanisms establish environmental rights as enforceable obligations, central to global equity and intergenerational justice.

Policy Shifts

Faltering climate ambition echoes across the G20, the forum of world economies that coordinate global economic policy. Their 2025 declaration failed to reaffirm the 1.5°C target, reflecting a collective failure to meet Paris Agreement goals (Joint Research Centre, 2025). Just weeks after 2024 was declared the hottest year on record, the United States formally withdrew from the Paris Agreement for a second time (Human Rights Watch, 2025). Shortly after, Argentina announced plans to exit the agreement and withdrew from COP29 negotiations (Climate Cosmos, 2025). While Argentina is not classified as a high-income country, this action still denotes a further weakening of global consensus. Several other G20 countries (Australia, Japan, Canada, Italy, and South Korea) have backed out of previous net-zero pledges and multilateral obligations through delayed climate targets, reclassified fossil fuels, and suspended mitigation policies (Climate Cosmos, 2025). The United States has also seen significant cuts to climate research and clean energy programs, discontinuing more than 100 federally funded studies (Temple, 2025).

The United Kingdom, another former leader in this field, has directed funds away from climate action and toward defense and trade priorities (United Kingdom Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office [UK FCDO], 2025). In April of 2025, a group of civil society organizations filed a case against the French government for failing to protect citizens from foreseeable climate harms, claiming that current adaptation plans are insufficient (Jones Day, 2025). Germany’s government, while continuing to support renewable energy, has deprioritized emissions reductions in favor of industrial competitiveness (Clean Energy Wire, 2025).

These shifts in government focus are not limited to the public sector. Many of the corporations that made net-zero pledges within the past five years have begun scaling back efforts due to political and financial pressure. Major financial institutions have classified ESG backlash as a material risk, leading companies to scale back climate commitments (Conference Board, 2025). ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) is a set of criteria historically used to evaluate corporate sustainability and ethics; however, it is now criticized by conservative lawmakers and skeptical investors as politically charged or financially burdensome (Conference Board, 2025). Ioannou (2025) notes that this new backlash reflects deeper tensions surrounding corporations in the advancement of social and environmental goals. A deeper ideological repositioning can be seen through these developments. While climate justice was once a collective imperative, it is now being treated as a negotiable interest, shaped by national politics and short-term economic goals.

Secretary-General António Guterres at the Climate Summit 2025, a high-Level special event on Climate Action.
Secretary-General António Guterres at the Climate Summit 2025, a high-Level special event on Climate Action. “The science demands action. The law commands it. The economics compel it. And people are calling for it.” UN Photo/Manuel Elías.

Implications and Consequences

These policy shifts have tangible and far-reaching human consequences. As inaction continues, the risk of compounding impacts onto other human rights increases. The right to housing and security is threatened by rising climate-related displacement (Amnesty International, 2025). The right to food is at risk due to extreme weather events disrupting agricultural systems (Food and Agriculture Organization, 2025). Overall, health and well-being continue to be threatened by rising air pollution, heat stress, and vector-borne diseases (Romanello et al., 2025).

Low- to middle-income countries and Indigenous communities are disproportionately impacted, despite contributing less to climate change overall. For instance, aid cuts by Australia and the UK fail to support vulnerable nations and regional populations, limiting their ability to protect lives, livelihoods, and ecosystems (Lowy Institute, 2024; UK FCDO, 2025). This undermines the moral and legal obligations enshrined in UNGA Resolution 76/300 and the ICESCR, which have been ratified by both countries (United Nations, 1966; United Nations General Assembly, 2022).

With climate disasters escalating in frequency and severity, high-income countries are not immune to the consequences of their retreat. From wildfires in Australia and floods in Germany to storms and heatwaves in the United States, public infrastructure and economies have been strained, revealing critical gaps in disaster preparedness (Pengilley, 2025; Clean Energy Wire, 2025; Climate Central, 2025).

Aside from immediate and prolonged dangers, these events erode public trust in environmental governance. As citizens see governments scale back their climate commitments, they turn to litigation and civil disobedience to demand accountability. Globally, youth-led lawsuits have surged in 2025, seeing plaintiffs invoke their constitutional and human rights to challenge state action/inaction (Merner, 2025; Environmental Health News, 2025). Not only does this challenge the moral authority of high-income countries, but it undermines their credibility and weakens their capacity to lead on broader global challenges. Such a withdrawal is not only unjust from a human rights standpoint, but strategically shortsighted.

A view of pamphlets during the event “International Day of Sport for Development and Peace 2023: Scoring for People and the Planet”.
A view of pamphlets during the event “International Day of Sport for Development and Peace 2023: Scoring for People and the Planet”. UN Photo/Mark Garten.

Closing Reflection

More than symbolic pledges, environmental justice requires enforceable obligations, consistent funding for climate action, and consideration for the most impacted communities. High-income countries must stop viewing climate action as a zero-sum trade-off and reframe it through a shared, rights-based infrastructure of resilience. The consequences from previous retreats, from displacement to institutional erosion, must be urgently addressed. Rebuilding public trust must begin with global recommitments, inclusive governance, and transparent financing. Meeting today’s demands will require high-income countries to abandon performative pragmatism for principled action. Climate justice is not a luxury, but a prerequisite for global survival.

Addressing the Global Water Crisis

My water bottle travels with me everywhere. It seems like something I cannot live without. When I was filling it up from the tap before heading to class, I couldn’t help but wonder what it is like to lack access to clean drinking water. That is the reality for many people around the world, especially as weather patterns change and industry use of water increases. Globally, water systems are failing, and people pay the price.  

A women pours water from a puddle into buckets.
Image 1: Woman collecting water from a puddle, India. Source: Adobe Stock.

The UN’s Perspective on Water: 

The UN General Assembly recognizes the right of individuals to “enough water for personal and domestic uses,” or 50 to 100 liters per day. The UN stresses water’s importance for health and well-being, stating that “water should be treated as a social and cultural good, and not primarily as an economic good.” 

Water’s Impact on People 

Despite the importance of water to daily life, a quarter of the world’s population lives in countries with inadequate water supply, and water shortages threaten to displace hundreds of millions by 2030. When water isn’t easily accessible, people have to walk miles to transport it. When this task falls to children, their physical health and education are threatened.   

It is paramount that access to water is expanded globally. What threatens our water supply? How can it be improved? The following are a few examples of water issues and how they have been handled worldwide. 

Sustainable Practices in Agriculture 

As climate change and industrial practices threaten the delicate balance of the hydrological cycle, which represents the flow of water across the planet, careful management of water is more important than ever. Conservationist groups have made proposals to both governments and private industry for implementing more sustainable water practices.  

One major area of potential improvement is agriculture, which accounts for around 70% of the world’s water usage.  Efficient and sustainable practices, such as drip irrigation and storing water, are recommended by environmental groups to reduce water usage. Some farmers are hesitant to update their methods due to the high up-front costs of installing these systems. In Mexico, drought is forcing farmers to reassess their traditional flood irrigation. Managing water use is difficult due to the economic demand for this precious resource. 

A vegetable field is flooded, illustrating a wasteful use of water.
Image 2: Flood irrigation of a vegetable plantation wasting water. Source: Adobe Stock.

Difficulty in Addressing Crises 

Iran is currently battling a water crisis due to the combined effects of decreased rainfall and chronic mismanagement. In Tehran, the nation’s capital, water pressure is so low that it cannot reach many of its residents. When confronted with a changing climate, Iran has funneled resources into water-intensive industries and drained groundwater for agriculture, rather than prioritizing access for individuals. 

Despite the way that water-intensive industries contribute to scarcity, addressing water shortages in Iran is not as simple as shutting down these water-intensive industries. Water conservation plans must account for sectors like steelmaking and agriculture, because they are major contributors to Iran’s economy. Some solutions, like groundwater recharge, which allows more rainwater to soak into the ground and replenish aquifers, don’t require sacrifices to industry. Climate-focused innovation can provide relief for water-strained areas, while other development projects put communities at risk. 

Costs of Development for Communities 

The development and expansion of infrastructure are important to sustaining the modern world. However, development comes at a cost to environmental stability. These issues affect ordinary people’s access to clean drinking water.  

In Lesotho, a small landlocked country, residents have submitted complaints to the African Development Bank, claiming that a water project, which will transport water from Lesotho to Johannesburg, South Africa, has damaged their homes and polluted their water. In trying to provide water for one population, incautious development has put another community at risk.   

Other development projects seemingly unrelated to water still place a strain on resources and pollute surrounding areas. Artificial intelligence data centers have become a flash point  for environmental and water issues. Meta’s data center in Newton County, GA. has limited nearby residents’ access to water. The construction of the data center, which uses 500,000 gallons of water daily, caused sediment build-up in pipes. It has cost homeowners thousands of dollars in repairs. 

AI data centers require water to cool their processor chips, and they also use electricity generated by steam-powered plants. Large data centers can use up to 5 million gallons of water per day. Some concerned citizens are seeking to block the construction of these plants because of the rising environmental costs associated with them. Environmental advocacy is one path toward equitable water access, as data center projects worth billions of dollars have been blocked or delayed by local communities in the US. Even so, other efforts are stalled by corporate lobbying. 

Corporate Influence on Environmental Legislation 

To implement water policy, governments must make choices about the practices for water extraction and the uses of water that they will allow. In the United States, private equity-owned companies like BlueTriton, whose products include Poland Springs, are rewriting environmental legislation. An amendment proposed by BlueTriton lobbyists in the Maine legislature struck an entire bill that would have placed limits on its contracts with the state.   

The bottled water industry uses significantly less water than agriculture and other sectors, but BlueTriton’s involvement in Maine’s legislation is just one of many cases involving corporations influencing environmental policy. In 2025, over $60 million has been spent on lobbying the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to roll back regulations on PFAS industries. This is money well spent for lobbyists, since the EPA has moved to vacate portions of its PFAS limits rules in drinking water. Governments are key players in water management, so their attention to vulnerabilities is paramount to managing water crises. 

What Happens When Governments Neglect Vulnerable Communities? 

In the Maldives, which faces unique challenges including rising sea levels and unpredictable weather patterns, a Human Rights Watch (HRW) investigation found that the government has struggled to communicate effectively with rural communities, thereby putting them at risk.  The investigation also found that the government left crucial water infrastructure, including desalination plants, in disrepair. An earlier HRW report concluded that the Maldives Environmental Protection Agency failed to enforce environmental regulations, which threatened access to freshwater.

The Maldives government has partnered with NGOs like the Green Climate Fund in recent years to improve its water systems, but some residents pointed out that the projects were “carried out hastily and remained only partially completed, years behind schedule.” This demonstrates the difficulty of restoring water infrastructure that has fallen behind. Along with recent efforts by the Maldives Government, the international community has stepped up to help alleviate the water shortage through grant funding of projects like building desalination plants. 

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Image 3: Desalination plant. Source: Adobe Stock

International Cooperation 

These challenges transcend borders. Therefore, the international community, institutions like the United Nations Development Programme, NGOs like the Green Climate Fund, and individuals worldwide are working transnationally to ensure access to safe and secure water for all.  The UNDP has invested over $8 billion in sustainable water development, and it recently partnered with the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF) to bring clean water to 150,000 Ethiopians.  

What Can We All Do? 

Sustainable development and equitable access to water are possible. To reach the UN’s sixth Sustainable Development Goal of safe and affordable drinking water for all, individuals, governments, and corporations must take action. Potential solutions include environmentally conscious infrastructure development, limiting waste, and investing in innovative green technologies. Individuals can join their local Waterkeeper Alliance chapter, support water conservation legislation locally and nationally, limit their personal water use, and donate to water organizations. 

Construction and Consequences: The Human Impacts of Artificial Intelligence Data Centers

This summer, I worked with a few different advocacy organizations during Louisiana’s 2025 Congressional Session. The amount of policy issues flying around was mind-spinning, but a constant murmur about the new Meta data center popping up in Richland Parish always seemed to pierce through the chaos. I couldn’t help but think, “Of all the state issues we could be debating, what could be so provocative about a data center?”

Data centers are nothing new; ever since the birth of the Internet, they have been used for the large-scale computing that comes with ever-advancing technology. With the rapid expansion of generative AI, our country is seeing more and more of these processing centers pop up, especially in rural areas. Governments, researchers, and communities alike have been forced to face the glaring reality that comes with the construction and maintenance of new AI data centers: where there are new data centers, there are human lives directly impacted by their creation. Debate on whether these effects are a net positive or negative to these communities has prompted closer examination on the human impact of data centers. Only through a thorough analysis of this ongoing research can we determine the nature and scope of these impacts and explore proper policy responses.

A large computing center surrounded by rural farmland.
Source: Adobe Express, Sepia100, #566722487

WATER

We rely on water; it’s as simple as that. We need water to drink, bathe, flush the toilet, wash our hands and dishes, and water our crops; it’s a necessity to life, and an officially recognized human right. As much as we need water, data centers are even thirstier. It takes a lot of water to cool down all of the computing that takes place in these buildings. In 2021, just one of Google’s data centers in Oregon used up 355 million gallons of water. In 2023, all of Meta’s data centers worldwide guzzled around 1.4 billion gallons of water. Where is this water coming from? Of Meta’s 1.4 billion gallons, about 672 million gallons came from local water sources. The extraction process is permanent, meaning data centers deplete millions of gallons of water from communities’ local water supply yearly, and with the industry’s rapid expansion, its water consumption will only grow. Some residents living nearby these new data centers, such as Beverley Morris in Mansfield, Georgia, believe that these centers are draining wells and aquifers, leaving locals without drinkable or fully functional running water in their homes. For communities in the Southwest, this could pose an especially pressing threat during droughts as the scarce water supply is divided between industrial and civilian use.

Landon Marston, a professor in environmental and water resources engineering at Virginia Tech University, points out that since companies like Meta and Google tend to choose areas outside of cities to construct these data centers, the surge in water demand could also necessitate water infrastructure updates, the costs of which could fall partly on local ratepayers.

ENERGY

AI data centers require tons of energy. We’re talking 200 trillion watts an hour, and that was only in 2016. The power usage of these data centers is projected to rise to nearly 2967 trillion watts an hour by 2030. The previously flatlined demand for electricity has been increasing nationally since 2023 partly due to the energy-intensive operations of growing data centers. The majority of data centers’ energy relies on fossil fuels and power plants, putting pressure on local energy grids. This increased pressure poses the threat of more frequent, long-lasting, and expensive blackouts for the communities surrounding these energy-hungry data centers.

More pressure on the grid naturally means more pressure to update the grid. Local belief and research alike contend that the cost of these grid updates, as well as the price tag of the extra energy demand, will show up in locals’ energy bills. A Harvard study provides evidence that under-the-table agreements between utilities and Big Tech consumers could be partly responsible for increased rates on everyday residents’ bills. Additionally, in places like Louisiana, the combination of prolonged need for air conditioning and damage to energy infrastructure due to storms drive energy bills up as it is; the intense energy demands of the new data center will serve only to exacerbate the steep cost of energy and amenities in nearby homes and businesses. Utilities are essential to decent quality of life and even employment, tying their accessibility directly to human rights.

A person with a calculator in one hand and a utility bill in the other attempts to calculate what they owe.
Source: Adobe Express, Anna, #529027855

PUBLIC HEALTH

Since AI data centers rely heavily on the fossil-fuel energy of power plants, they run the risk of increasing local pollution and threatening public health in already vulnerable rural locations. AI centers, on top of their energy use from the grid, also employ backup generators in case of grid failure; these diesel generators can release 200 to 600 times more nitrous oxides (NOx) than a natural gas plant while producing the same amount of energy. NOx pollution can cause irritation in the eyes, throat, and nose, as well as more severe cases of respiratory infection, reduced metabolism, and even death. According to the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, IEEE, data centers caused about $6 billion in public health damages due to this type of air pollution in 2023. That being said, location matters. Often, these data centers choose rural areas, and in cases like that of Bessemer, Alabama, these areas are often home to a large Black population. Black Americans already suffer disproportionately from air pollution and other environmental injustices; in fact, low-income Black Americans have the highest mortality rate due to fine particulate matter air pollution. The emergence of data centers in rural Black communities only serves to exacerbate this phenomenon. This can be directly traced to industrial zoning policies, which often result in the sacrifice of poor, rural, often Black areas to attract business and wealth to cities. The result? Higher rates of asthma, respiratory issues, even pollution-related death, and a direct violation of the human right to clean air.

 

Smog plumes out of a large plant, polluting the sky.
Source: Adobe Express, Jaroslav Pachý Sr., #175217425

ECONOMY

While industrial zoning and property value are the most important location factors, choosing a lower income, rural area also poses possible economic advantage for the communities. The construction of processing centers can require thousands of workers, offering steady employment opportunities for locals. After construction, companies like Meta, Google, and Microsoft will have to hire employees to keep their data centers managed and running properly, another new job opening for those in the surrounding area. Some locals have expressed excitement over the new economic growth data centers will bring, especially in areas with dwindling industries like coal and timber. Working in data centers is an attractive alternative to the low-paying, dangerous agricultural jobs some of these areas rely on. Others have raised concerns that while many jobs will certainly appear during the construction period of the centers, employment opportunities from data centers seem to fall off afterwards. Depending on the size, each data center building could operate with as little as fifty employees, according to Microsoft. Larger ones like the one developing in Louisiana are required to employ 500 locals, but even that opportunity seems small to some residents in comparison to the harm the center could bring to their community. Members of communities impacted by the development of data centers have also expressed concerns about land usage, pointing out that the extensive land taken up by these new data centers had potential to be used for farming or other less health-damaging economic development. The right to employment good working conditions are outlined directly in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and these economic impacts could very well jeopardize them for those living in surrounding areas.

What Now?

Artificial Intelligence isn’t going away; in fact, we can expect its rapid expansion in the coming years, including the construction of dozens of new data centers. Behind AI’s captivating technologies, there are human lives impacted by the processes it takes to power its functions. Considering the damage data centers can do to local resources, it certainly seems like measures need to be taken to ensure the escalating growth of AI doesn’t come at the expense of communities, especially those that already face disadvantage. First and foremost, companies establishing these centers should focus on using renewable energy for much of their power, thereby decreasing their environmental impact on local communities. In addition, companies should adopt initiatives to maintain the local water supply’s integrity, recycle water when possible, and ultimately, improve the efficiency of their computing to save resources like water and electricity. Local governments must ensure that the price of increased pressure on electricity and water infrastructure does not end up on ratepayers’ bills; this means more transparency from large companies and their agreements with local utility providers and governments regarding the construction and maintenance of these centers and the impacts on local residents’ well-being. These centers, if built sustainably and with people in mind, could ultimately have a positive impact on industry and economy within these communities. The development of data centers must not concentrate solely on maximum profit and computing power but also on the adverse effects the center has on utility bills, air quality, water demands, the power grid, and public health as a whole.

So, really, it’s no wonder advocates, lobbyists, and policymakers couldn’t stop talking about Richland Parish’s new data center. It’s nearly as big as Manhattan, and its effects on the surrounding community may end up being just as sizable.

Water Scarcity and Initiative for Sustainability in Peru

An alarming concern continues to grow in Latin American countries regarding drinking water. Due to water being an internationally recognized human right, international human rights law makes states work towards achieving universal access to water and sanitation. The implementation of these rights involves ensuring availability, accessibility, affordability, quality, safety, and acceptability.  

When water demand exceeds the supply due to scarcity caused by local ecological conditions and economic scarcity resulting from inadequate water infrastructure, we are dealing with water stress. It is a global problem, as billions of people worldwide lack access to adequate water, which affects public health, economic development, and international trade and can lead to conflict and mass migration. Moreover, as a consequence of the increased droughts, there is food insecurity, which leads to malnutrition, death in children, and an increase in infectious diseases.

The Causes of Water Stress 

In Latin America, despite efforts to increase water access, 77 million people still lack access to safe water, according to the World Water Council and the National Water Commission (Comisión Nacional del Agua, in Spanish). There is a lack of treatment of sanitation waste, which leads to untreated sewage in rivers, lakes, and underground aquifers. What’s more, natural phenomena such as hurricanes and El Niño have had significant repercussions on the water sources and infrastructure of the affected countries.  

In 1998, Hurricane Mitch killed 9,000 people in Central America, temporarily displacing 75% of the Honduran population. El Niño and La Niña have caused large-scale droughts and more severe storms. Furthermore, in 2020, Hurricanes Eta and Iota caused internal displacement in Guatemala. In 2023, Mexico experienced its driest year on record, while Uruguay declared a water emergency, according to the UN Development Programme. At the same time, Chile, Bogotá, and Mexico City were reported to be at risk of water depletion. Due to the progression of these phenomena, scientists believe that climate change will continue to intensify weather patterns. 

Aftermath of Eta and Iota in Honduras.
Image 1: The aftermath of Eta and Iota in Honduras. Source: Yahoo Images.

Within the region, Peru has one of the lowest percentages of access to safe drinking water. Since the Amazon spans across three countries, droughts in the Amazon and other events have affected Peru. According to the UNICEF (United Nations Children’s Fund) press release above on inequalities in access to safe drinking water in Peruvian households, the northeastern region of Loreto, Peru, is the most affected by ongoing drought, mostly impacting remote communities. There has been biodiversity loss in 22 of the country’s 26 regions due to wildfires and increasing air pollution.

Current and Future Initiatives 

Because remote communities are the most affected, environmental studies and more sustainable efforts would benefit 63,000 small farmers in rural poverty who live in vulnerable ecosystems. Therefore, different projects have been developed to optimize irrigation systems and promote better water management. 

Rio Seco pond in Peru. Source: Yahoo Images.
Image 2: Rio Seco Pond in Peru. Source: Yahoo Images.

One of the projects is PRO ICA (Project Pisco-Villacurí-Lanchas). The National Authority of Water requested the UN Program for Environment and UNOPS (United Nations Office for Project Services) to implement the project in El Valle de Rio Pisco (Rio Pisco Valley) and the ravine of Rio Seco (Dry River). These are located on the south coast of Peru, one of the country’s most important agricultural zones, which faces several problems with water contamination, scarcity, and supply.

To secure clean water, the Nature Conservancy (TNC) established three water funds for Lima, Piura, and Cusco. This came partnered with two pieces of legislation that established a unique, self-sustaining mechanism to fund water source protection. Its goal is to maintain the most efficient and effective natural infrastructure projects and nurture relationships with the communities that affect the conservation areas. These initiatives have been assigned to help strengthen existing initiatives such as farmers’ committees, modern irrigation proposals, productive reconversion, and habitat restoration. Over 1,600 participants, including government officials and irrigation workers, are involved in workshops to improve knowledge on subjects such as numerical modeling, groundwater hydrology, and the use of specialized equipment. As agencies of the United Nations (UN), UNEP (UN Environment Programme) and UNOPS are committed to achieving the objectives of sustainable development. 

Cuenca del rio pisco
Image 3: The basin of Rio Pisco in Peru. Source: Yahoo Images.

Since mountain glaciers are melting due to climate change and the rainy season is becoming shorter, new initiatives focus on reviving pre-Incan technology. According to a BBC report, civilizations in the Los Andes Mountains had to deal with seasonal rain; therefore, they developed hydrological innovations, a strategy invented by the Huari (WAR-I), Amunas are water canals that take water from mountain streams and move it to infiltration basins. This approach allows the water to go back to the rivers that supply Lima. Therefore, having more amunas would allow for a higher supply during the dry season. Thanks to these findings, Sedapal, the water and sewage service, plans to invest $3 million in building two more water canals.  

One obstacle Peru faces regarding water management is the gray areas of enforcement jurisdiction. Despite its laws to protect wetlands, actors such as the NGO Forest Trends work to define those areas by meeting with authorities and developing a manual so the locals know who the points of contact are and what to do (e.g., taking photos and GPS coordinates, harvesting plants, ensuring water flow, etc.). There is uncertainty about the recovery time for the soil, but there’s hope that the Peruvian people can help nature repair itself by using natural techniques.  

Although many scientists agree that using nature-based solutions to address climate change is beneficial, critics view it as a diversion from other key conversations, such as transitioning to clean energy or reducing large-scale emissions of fossil fuels. Ultimately, initiatives that revive ancient practices are a step toward a future where we can eventually find alternatives for our energy sources and produce less pollution. A key contribution to making these initiatives happen is continuous international coordination. Many freshwater sources cross international borders, requiring cooperation among nations. As a result, collaboration, funding, and the revival of native practices could make a difference in addressing water scarcity. 

Peace Constitutions: Costa Rica and Japan

What do you know about peace and peace-building processes? If you have previously studied the concept of peace, you may have encountered peace constitutions and their role in promoting both positive and negative peace.

In peace studies, peace is not limited to the absence of violence (negative peace); it also includes the social and economic institutions and structures that sustain societies (positive peace). In other words, as Martin Luther King put it in his response to an accusation that he was disturbing the peace during the Montgomery Bus Boycott, “True peace is not merely the absence of tension: it is the presence of justice.” Learn more about peace from the fifth edition of David P. Barash and Charles P. Webel’s Peace and Conflict Studies, which elaborates on the aspects of positive peace, historical and current conflicts, nationalism, and terrorism.

Constitution on paper
Image 1: A written constitution. Source: Yahoo Images.

Constitution-building is the process of creating or amending that involves negotiating, drafting, and implementing fundamental principles and frameworks for a nation to work, according to PeaceRep. Peace agreements can be a constitution or have the constitution included within them. Charlotte Fiedler from the German Institute of Development and Sustainability analyzes the effects of writing a new constitution after conflict. This political scientist argues that constitution-making is part of the peace-building process, and empirical evidence indicates that it allows countries to start anew with a new governance framework, rethink previous regimes, and, therefore, improve their societal peace outlook. According to Fiedler, post-conflict constitutions are linked to trust-building, meaning that longer constitution-making processes are more successful in sustaining peace than shorter, forced processes. Both Japan’s and Costa Rica’s peace constitutions were drafted after conflicts, and both countries have seen respective benefits.

Japan’s Postwar Constitution

The 1947 constitution introduced more power to Japanese society by placing the military under civilian control, granting new rights to women, and reformulating the responsibilities of the imperial family. After WWII, Japanese cities were devastated, and post-conflict planning started. The U.S. diplomat Hugh Borton, who was part of these plans, claimed that Japan needed a new one: “to truly steer away from the imperial institution.” The Japanese wanted to amend their 1889 Meiji Constitution, but the Allies didn’t think this was enough. Therefore, General MacArthur created three principles to serve as an outline for a new constitution: no longer being able to wage war, a parliamentary system, and more power to the people.

After a lot of back and forth between the Supreme Commander of the Allied Powers staff (SCAP), the Japanese cabinet, and the first post-war general election, a new constitution was drafted. The SCAP included in Article 9 that Japan would renounce the use of force as a tool for addressing international issues. Some agreed with this article, showing Japan’s commitment to peace, but others weren’t keen on the idea. Ultimately, it was amended to read that Japan would not keep armed forces strong enough for any acts of aggression

Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution includes a no-war clause, in which the government renounces war as a means of sovereignty and refuses to settle disputes using military force. It also includes wording such as “We, the Japanese people, desire peace for all time… we have determined to preserve our security and existence, trusting in the justice and faith of the peace-loving peoples of the world.” Because of the language in it, the constitution played a major role in shaping Japan’s national identity of pacifism.

Lessons from Japan

Japan Self-Defense Forces
Image 2: Japan Self-Defense Forces in the forest. Source: Yahoo Images.

As established in “Peace in Theory and Practice” under Article 9 of Japan’s Constitution, a review by Lawrence W. Beer, an expert on the politics of Japan and other Asian countries, reveals a few lessons that these peace constitutions teach the world. First, a renunciation of war is acceptable, desirable, and realistic. Second, the military does not have to be the center of international and national planning; instead, the economy, democracy, human rights, and the environment should be the center of national security concerns. Third, major peaceful changes in culture and system are possible even in the most nationalist, military-driven nations. Despite these efforts and lessons, some government officials have worked to reinstate a stronger military force and larger access to arms. Hence, time will tell how Japan will uphold its pacifist identity.

Costa Rican Constitution

Costa Rica committed to peace and democracy after years of internal conflict and unrest. Early on, after gaining independence from Spain, Costa Rica focused on its internal development, avoiding prolonged conflicts and opting for defense rather than aggression. After a period of peace when the military focused on maintaining internal order, Federico Tinoco seized power through a coup and established an authoritarian rule heavily dependent on military power. Tinoco was not well received, and this dictatorship affected public opinion on the military and its role in society. The event that pushed Costa Rica to make its final decision to abolish its military was the 1948 Civil War, which left thousands dead and had people urging for a peaceful country. The aftermath of the civil war led to the decision that same year.

Painting celebrating the peace constitution of Costa Rica
Image 3: Painting celebrating Costa Rica’s peace constitution. Source: Yahoo Images

The codification of the 1949 constitution declared Costa Rica a neutral nation, prohibiting the use of force by its army. Article 12 states, “The Army as a permanent institution is abolished,” and instructs the funds to be allocated to public welfare programs instead. What was before the job of the military became the job of the civilian police force, whose main objective is community policing and human rights?

Finally, the Costa Rican Constitution, in Article 50, guarantees the right to live in a healthy and environmentally balanced environment, making both the state and the public responsible for conserving their natural resources. Following this article, the country has passed legislation to address fishing and mining, as well as utilizing renewable sources for a large portion of its energy.

Lessons from Costa Rica

Without the burden of military expenditure, Costa Rica was able to focus more on its social services, providing better resources for its nation. This investment in education and healthcare resulted in one of the highest literacy rates in Latin America and a healthcare system with universal coverage for its citizens. What’s more, fund reallocation allowed for the development of tourism, technology, and environmental conservation. Although a lot of money and arms are still poured into the police, the shift to a more peaceful and sustainable society is evident. Ultimately, Costa Rica’s stance on peace has had an impact on the nation’s structure and its reputation in the international arena.

These two countries are not the only ones with limitations on their military forces. Iceland, Mauritius, Panama, and Vanuatu have also decided to abandon the use of the military and instead rely on alliances, diplomatic relations, and geographical isolation for national defense. For other countries and territories, such as Micronesia, defense is the responsibility of others. For example, Monaco’s defense is the responsibility of France, while the Faroe Islands are under the responsibility of Denmark.

Leaning away from raising armies for aggression may improve international harmony. How it would affect internal conflict is an aspect to consider. Moreover, the logistics of maintaining a defense army, such as limitations on size and allies, are also important factors in this conversation. A peace constitution that abolishes the military may not be a popular reform in bigger countries such as the U.S., Russia, and China. Less threat of attacks may allow for further distancing from military expenditure. Ultimately, a peace constitution not only addresses negative peace but also leads to positive peace as resources are reallocated to fit the new goals and structure of each nation.