Seventeenth International Conference on Environmental, Cultural, Economic & Social Sustainability

Abstract

Artisanal gold mining (AGM) has recently received extensive media and political attention worldwide due to its destructive environmental effects and dangerous working environment. In Ghana, there have been several attempts by various stakeholders to curb the increase of AGM and, the environmental effect, which require a proper understanding of the underlying issues. Therefore, this study aims to use a socio-ecological framework to analyze Drivers of AGM Activities, the environmental Pressures and State change and their Impact on human Welfare, to identify management Response as Measures to the problem and to evaluate its impact on Ghana’s ability to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Results show that esteem needs, food, acceptance and friendship, and self-actualization are the main drivers of AGM activities leading to environmental pressures including: abrasion, extraction of living and non-living resources, the introduction of the non-synthetic compound, among others. State changes of the environment resulting from the pressures were on the land and forest cover, topography, biota, among others. The environmental degradation impacts human welfare including water quality and availability, agricultural food production, fish yield, food safety, spiritual and cultural loss, and death, injury, and ailment of miners. To reduce the impact of AGM, some response measures were suggested. In conclusion, the framework is useful in analyzing issues associated with AGM in a comprehensive way and for informing management plans. AGM has a major negative impact on all aspects of the ecosystem with a potential effect on Ghana’s attempt to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.