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A New Wave of Civic Activism

The Case of Social Movement Against the Construction of the Amulsar Gold Mine in Armenia

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Degrowth Decolonization and Development

Abstract

This chapter focuses on the radical activities and actions of the environmental movement related to the exploitation of gold in Amulsar, as well as global growth issues in the context of anti-capitalist logic and degrowth revision. The Amulsar gold mine is located 170 kilometers south of the capital of the Republic of Armenia, Yerevan. It was created by the international concern Lydian International. This investment caused a lot of controversy among both the inhabitants of Armenia and environmentalists. Activists and independent experts pointed to the risks associated with the construction of a gold mine, including irreversible damage to the natural environment, destruction of the entire water system of Armenia and destruction of the cultural heritage of the region. In 2018, the construction of the gold mine was completed and mining began. This caused the indigenous environmental movement to take radical steps to block activities in the Amulsar area. Protests continue to this day. The example of the Amulsar gold mine in Armenia shows the consequences of global growth for the peripheral countries.

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Correspondence to Adam Pomieciński .

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Pomieciński, A. (2023). A New Wave of Civic Activism. In: De Santo, M.K., Domptail, S.E. (eds) Degrowth Decolonization and Development. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-25945-6_4

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