Funding to UK researchers to help communities and their river hit by illegal mining

Can a river have rights' If so, how does it claim these? These are two of the questions being addressed in a new cross Atlantic research project between academics and non-governmental organisations in the UK and Colombia. The multi-disciplinary team, who are collaborating with Colombian social leaders and communities, has been awarded new funding to work along Colombia's Rio Atrato to claim the rights of a river being devastated by illegal gold mining, it was announced today (3 September 2018) The Atrato is situated in Chocó on the northwestern Pacific coast of Colombia. Last year the global importance of the Atrato was reaffirmed when Colombia's constitutional court granted the river rights in a landmark ruling. The court ruled that the Atrato was subject to rights to protection, conservation, maintenance and restoration. This ruling sets an important global precedent for how environments might be better managed and protected in the future. The Atrato is one of the world's most important biodiversity hotspots, abundant in natural resources. However, these natural resources attract a range of interested parties, many of which are illegal.