Where is Greenland going

The classic image of Greenland, dog sledges, sea ice, glaciers and an unspoiled pristine outback is disappearing. In south Greenland, Angel Mining propose to begin mining for gold using cyanide. Near the town Maniitsoq, on the west coast, ALCOA is preparing and lobbying for a near future construction of an aluminum smelter, constructing two or three hydropower plants, ruining a fragile ecosystem. ALCOA's 'scientific' reports found the supposedly objective knowledge base for politicians to take decisions - reports being accepted without peer review.



Official guidelines for EIA (Environmental Impact Assessment) solely uses the word 'should' in relation to environment protection, and public involvement. In other words, mining companies do not have to either involve the public or protect the environment - but they 'should' do it. At the moment more than 140 exploration licenses have been given to mining companies, scattered across the entire country, from the very north to the southern most tip of the country.

Where will this end. In the bottom of the fiord system around Nuuk, a mining company has started (or will do so in the near future) mining for iron ore. The area where they will do this is also the location of the oldest rock on the planet 3,9 billion years old. Though leading geologists have worked for UN-protection of the site, the mining company is going ahead with blessings from Greenland's self-government.



Without a living planet, life as we know it will cease to exist!