Pope Leo XIV receives briefing on Amazon environmental damage

Pope Leo XIV met with scientists and activists from Peru, Colombia, and Bolivia at the Vatican to receive information on environmental destruction in the Amazon. The briefing focused on the damage caused by gold mining and the associated release of mercury. The Pope described the issue as a matter of vital importance during the reception of the delegation.

The group presented a summary of a ten-year study conducted by the Centro de Innovación Científica Amazónica regarding environmental and health crises in the Peruvian Amazon. The study highlighted that gold mining is largely illegal, as is the use of mercury in the extraction process. This practice violates the Minamata Convention, an international agreement that has been in effect since 2017 to limit the use and release of mercury. The toxic substance poses severe risks to the nervous system. In the Madre Dios region alone, an estimated 180 tons of mercury enter the environment annually. The contaminant is now detected in the air, fish, bats, birds, and humans.

A Colombian researcher noted the international dimensions of the problem, stating that while actors in consumer countries profit from the gold trade, Amazonian communities suffer from neglect, environmental destruction, and deep poverty. Smuggling networks circumvent restrictions and bans. The lack of transparency in supply chains makes it difficult to trace production steps, which benefits those profiting from the trade.

A representative from the Bolivian organization Centro de Documentación e Información Bolivia called for international action, arguing that current programs to reduce damage are progressing too slowly for the needs of the Amazon. The delegation expressed hope that the Holy See will promote global dialogue to protect the life, dignity, rivers, and forests of the Amazon. Pope Leo XIV is scheduled to visit the Peruvian Amazon during his Latin American trip from November 6 to 17. He is expected to meet with missionaries, local groups, and indigenous representatives in Pucallpa in the Ucayali region.