Gold mining unleashes a carbon time bomb in Peru’s Amazon

Gold mining in Peru’s Amazon is now destroying carbon-storing peatlands at an alarming rate. In just two years, over half of all recorded peatland destruction has occurred, releasing vast amounts of carbon into the atmosphere. Researchers warn that if the trend continues, emissions could skyrocket, worsening climate change. For decades, artisanal gold mining has flourished along the rivers of the Madre de Dios region, where gold is commonly found in the soil. While the deforestation caused by mining has long been a concern, scientists have now uncovered an even deeper level of damage.

New research published in Environmental Research Letters reveals that small-scale gold mining in the southern Peruvian Amazon has destroyed more carbon-rich peatlands in the past two years than in the previous three decades combined. This rapid loss poses a major threat to both the environment and climate.