ENVIRONMENT AND HUMAN RIGHTS Mrs Alessandra Puddu Teacher @ I.T.S. “ E. Mattei”

ENVIRONMENT AND HUMAN RIGHTS Mrs Alessandra Puddu Teacher @ I.T.S. “ E. Mattei” Decimomannu- ITALY COMENIUS - HELP 2012-1-RO1-COM06-22185 5

NIGER DELTA POLLUTION COMENIUS - HELP 2012-1-RO1-COM06-22185 5

OIL EXTRACTION In the Niger Delta, a region rich of oil in the south-est of Nigeria, the activities of oil multinationals (Shell, Exxon Mobil, Chevron Texaco, Total Fina Elf, Eni/Agip) procured serious environmental, social and economic damages

The extraction of oil: • caused the pollution of water basins and of lands • destroyed the subsistence cultivations • required the expropriation of lands to population • contributed to the diffusion of many forms of cancer The struggle for the economic gains created strong contrasts between the different communities of the country

Social and environmental damages by the oil extraction have caused: • Expropriations • Progressive land and water contaminations • Violences from transnational companies’security service troops

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS • Pollution of the water basins in the Niger Delta and consequent loss of biodiversity: waterways and lagoons are invaded by a black and oily sludge • To refuel drinking water, the local populations are forced to drill underground for 50 metres, creating problems in water availability • It is at risk the survival of some species already in danger of extinction, including the elephant in the River and the white monkey, hippos and crocodiles from the river • Deforestation of large areas for the construction of mining infrastructures

Drastic reduction of water animals • Reduced fertility of arable lands, largely covered by sediments of petroleum • Emissions of pollutant toxins, methane and high levels of CO 2 • Increment of acid rain which puts at direct risk the health of local communities

SOCIAL DAMAGES • Dependence from the purchase of oil, because Nigeria is suffering from a chronic shortage of fuel • Loss of subsistence activities: the pollution of groundwater and soil has destroyed the main agricultural crops and has compromised the fishing • Expropriation of land, migration and intra-community conflicts • Urbanization of the population, which has moved in mass to the metropolitan areas of the largest urban centres • Deterioration of the physical health status of the population: respiratory problems, coughing up blood, skin rashes and skin diseases, cancer, gastrointestinal disorders, malnutrition • Deterioration in the psychological health of the population because of the alteration of the traditional supply system of rural communities that today are often unable and live from fishing and farming

Loss of social structure and the role of the individual, because of frustration, depression and violence at especially women. • Generalization of the violence: several times the rural communities from the Niger Delta have mobilized to claim their rights

SEVESO and in Italy…

It was 10 July 1976 when Italy lost its innocence and discovered that we can die of pollution The place was the ICMESA a chemical plant in Meda, near Seveso; what happened was the sudden spillage of a toxic cloud containing dioxin

Eleven communities in the area between Milan and Lake Como were directly affected by the toxic cloud. The four most affected towns, besides Seveso, were those of Meda, Desio and Cesano Maderno After some days from the incident, when the damages were evident, the inhabitantswere evacuated

Hundred people had already been exposed to negative consequences like the chloracne (a disease that creates pustules difficult to cure) and a number out of percentage of spontaneous abortions Although there were not any immediate deaths after the explosion, there were cases of poisoning and of chloracne. The intoxication affected also the animals which were slaughtered in thousands and all vegetation dried up. People were warned about the gravity only after 8 days

In 1983, the Bosco delle querce was created, an area where a waterproofed basin was built. The basin contains all the contaminated materials, including the land taken from the most polluted areas

NEW ENVIRONMENTAL CRIMES On 27th February 2014 The Chamber of Deputies approved a bill which establishes 4 new environmental crimes: • Environmental disaster; • Pollution; • Traffic and abandonment of high radioactivity material; • Impediment of the control.

Environmental disaster: Now those who seriously or irreversibly alter the ecosystem or jeopardize the public safety will be punished with imprisonment from 5 to 15 years Environmental pollution: Those who significantly deteriorate the biodiversity or the ecosystem, or the state of the ground water, or air will be punished with imprisonment from 2 to 6 years Traffic and jeopardy of high radioactivity material: Those who trade or transport high radioactivity material or who discard it illegally are punished with prison from 2 to 6 years Impediment of the control: those who deny or obstruct or hinder access to environmental controls risk imprisonment from 6 months to 3 years

ENVIRONMENT AND HUMAN RIGHTS Mrs Alessandra Puddu Teacher @ I.T.S. “ E. Mattei”