anglo – american plc: financing the summit, plundering the earth

This briefing by Friends of the Earth International (FoEI) criticizes Anglo-American Plc for its poor social and environmental record in South Africa, Zambia, and Peru, while highlighting the company's role as a funder of the Johannesburg Earth Summit and its presence in the official UK delegation.

• Anglo-American Plc is a funder of the Johannesburg Earth Summit and has a director serving as part of the official UK delegation, despite what FoEI describes as a poor social and environmental track record.
• In Zambia, Anglo-American's 70-year history of copper mining is linked to unstable waste dumps and polluted tailings dams that contribute to malaria. Smelter and acid plant emissions of heavy metals and industrial chemicals are associated with cancer, respiratory problems, birth defects, and weakened immune systems. Furthermore, when mines were privatized in 2000, the company obtained secret agreements providing 20 years of legal immunity or indemnity for past and future pollution, bypassing environmental protection laws.
• Anglo-American's proposed copper mine in southern Peru, managed by the Quellaveco Mining Corporation, threatens to deplete water in one of the world's driest regions, potentially aggravating water scarcity and harming the Chilota wetland. The project involves diverting a river and disposing of waste in the old river bed, which could lead to pollution during heavy rains. FoEI notes that the company's environmental impact assessment is inadequate by World Bank criteria, lacking reliable data and long-term effect analysis.
• The UK Government is investigating a complaint filed by NGOs RAID and AFRONET under the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises. The complaint alleges that Anglo-American used its influence to secure tax concessions, circumvent competition, and frustrate other buyers. Additionally, internal documents from the 1980s indicate the company used 12 holdings in the Netherlands to limit tax exposure.
• Anglo-American's operations in Zambia and Peru are supported by equity shares held by the World Bank Group. FoEI argues that the governments of Zambia and Peru are unable to demand better practices due to economic instability and the requirement to open markets for foreign investment to maintain international aid and debt relief.

APA

Friends of the Earth International (2002). anglo – american plc: financing the summit, plundering the earth. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Anglobriefing.pdf

Chicago

Friends of the Earth International. anglo – american plc: financing the summit, plundering the earth. 2002. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Anglobriefing.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Friends of the Earth International |title=anglo – american plc: financing the summit, plundering the earth |date=August 2002 |url=https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Anglobriefing.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{friendsoftheearthinternational2002anglo, author = {{Friends of the Earth International}}, title = {{anglo – american plc: financing the summit, plundering the earth}}, institution = {Friends of the Earth International}, year = {2002}, month = aug, url = {https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Anglobriefing.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }