After 30 years of devastating coal mining, the mining company Prodeco wants to withdraw from El Cesár in northern Colombia, as Prodeco, subsidiary of the Swiss Glencore group, announced in February 2021. By doing so, the company reacts to the developments of the international market and decreasing global demand for hard coal, which was reinforced by the global pandemic. But how do communities in the mining region perceive and evaluate this announcement? And what do they demand from the mining company against which they have been defending their livelihoods such as the water and health for decades?

In this webinar, human rights defender Narlis Guzmán Angulo analyses these developments and provides a broader view on (hard coal) mining practices and their impacts on communities.

Narlis Guzmán Angulo will first give an introduction to coal mining in Colombia. She explains why it is crucial to not only talk about global capitalist supply chains but also address colonial continuities in extractivist projects such as hard coal mining in Latin America. She explains how communities resist and stand up for their rights and examines the most recent developments regarding to the mining activities of Glencore and Drummond. Finally, she give insights into the current situation of communities in El Cesár after one year of living with COVID-19.

After the lecture there will be an opportunity to ask questions and discuss.

Speaker: Narlis Guzmán Angulo (environmental and human rights activist, Colombia)

Languages: Spanish/English