Abstract
Firstly, we present some environmental conflicts gathered in 2016 in the EJAtlas, selecting a few that have implied deaths of environmental defenders around the world including India and South America. Such conflicts arise from changing trends in the social metabolism. Secondly, we compare India and South America in terms of internal metabolism and international trade. We show that South America and India are at different moments in the race (concomitant with increased GDP per person) for the use of materials. South America reached a level of extraction of over 10 tons per person/year of all materials. It is unlikely that this will increase much. Maintaining this level already means environmental pressures. A substantial part goes for exports, much larger than the imports. In contrast, India was until recently at a level not much above 5 tons of material use per capita/year. If the Indian economy grows, as it is likely to do, the social metabolism will increase in volume more or less in proportion to economic growth. The use of biomass will increase much less than that of building materials and fossil fuels. This follows the regular patterns of economic growth. Internally, the Indian economy exploits some states as providers of raw materials in a pattern of ecological internal colonialism but internationally (in terms of material flows), it is not subject to 'ecologically unequal exchange', contrary to South America. Finally, we use some statistics from the EJAtlas comparing participation of indigenous and traditional populations and rates of 'success' in local struggles for environmental justice in both subcontinents, to see whether the global movement for environmental justice can help to slow down the destruction of the environment and local livelihoods and cultures.Key words: EJAtlas, material flows, economic growth, ecological distribution conflicts, environmental defenders, ecologically unequal trade, internal colonialism
Highlights
We present some environmental conflicts gathered in 2016 in the EJAtlas, selecting a few that have implied deaths of environmental defenders around the world including India and South America
While India's social metabolism, measured in terms of material flows, is growing rapidly, South America multiplied the extraction of materials from 1970 to 2008 by a factor of four, increasing it to over 10 tons per capita per year
The continent's material growth nearly stopped in 2015 and it is unlikely that it will grow much again even if South America exits from the current economic crisis
Summary
We start with short descriptions of six recent environmental conflicts cases reported in the EJAtlas (www.ejatlas.org) where supporting evidence is available. The work started, and the Lenca peopled alleged that Convention 169 of ILO (ratified by Honduras in 1995) had been violated because there was no process of previous and informed consultation On the contrary, those local leaders who are openly against the project are threatened, brought to court, or killed (as was Tomás García in 2013 and Berta Cáceres in 2016). She was shot dead in her home after receiving dozens of death threats related to her opposition to the Agua Zarca dam on the Gualcarque River, which she said was being constructed without the consent of the local population She was the most high-profile victim in a string of killings that still continues; according to Global Witness, more than 100 environmental activists were murdered in Honduras between 2010 and 2015. Other comuneros were wounded or beaten up, as reported in La República (Lima) on 16 October. His wife Antonia Huillca is reported to have kept vigil over the body for nearly two days, accompanied by 400 comuneros while waiting for the judicial authorities to arrive
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