International n’y touchez plus! pourquoi les institutions financières internationales doivent se retirer du forage, des pipelines et des mines

This report by Friends of the Earth International argues that international financial institutions (IFIs) should cease funding extractive industries—specifically oil, gas, and mining—due to their devastating impacts on local communities, human rights, and the global environment. Through multiple case studies across Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas, the document illustrates how public funding for these projects often exacerbates poverty, fuels corruption, and contributes to climate change, while providing minimal economic benefit to host countries.

• International financial institutions (IFIs) use taxpayer money to support the extraction of oil, gas, and minerals, which the report claims often leads to increased poverty and the destruction of ecosystems in poor countries.
• The report argues that a development model based on the export of natural resources is flawed, noting that resource-rich countries often perform worse economically than those with fewer resources, a phenomenon termed the 'resource curse'.
• Extractive projects frequently lead to severe human rights violations and social instability. In Colombia, for example, 90% of human rights violations are reported to occur in oil and mining districts.
• The report highlights the disproportionate negative impact of extractive industries on women, who lose traditional economic roles and face increased risks of HIV/AIDS and gender-based violence due to the influx of male migrant workers.
• Indigenous peoples are particularly vulnerable to these activities, as the destruction of forests and water sources threatens their physical survival and cultural identity, often in violation of ILO Convention 169.
• The report claims that IFI funding for fossil fuels contradicts international climate agreements like the Kyoto Protocol. For instance, the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline is estimated to release 185 million tonnes of CO2 annually.
• The document asserts that the promise of job creation by extractive industries is a myth, as modern high-tech operations are capital-intensive and require few local workers, often providing only short-term, low-paid positions.
• IFIs are accused of imposing structural adjustment programs that force poor countries to liberalize and deregulate their mining and energy laws to attract foreign investment, which reduces the state's ability to protect the environment.
• The report details specific environmental disasters, such as the 1993 Marcopper spill in the Philippines, where toxic waste destroyed the Mogpog river and left residents without compensation.
• Friends of the Earth International recommends that IFIs establish a plan to phase out all investments in extractive sectors and immediately ban dangerous technologies like cyanide leaching and deep-sea tailings disposal.

APA

Friends of the Earth International (2003). International n’y touchez plus! pourquoi les institutions financières internationales doivent se retirer du forage, des pipelines et des mines. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Les-mines-ny-touchez-plus.pdf

Chicago

Friends of the Earth International. International n’y touchez plus! pourquoi les institutions financières internationales doivent se retirer du forage, des pipelines et des mines. 2003. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Les-mines-ny-touchez-plus.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Friends of the Earth International |title=International n’y touchez plus! pourquoi les institutions financières internationales doivent se retirer du forage, des pipelines et des mines |date=December 2003 |url=https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Les-mines-ny-touchez-plus.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{friendsoftheearthinternational2003international, author = {{Friends of the Earth International}}, title = {{International n’y touchez plus! pourquoi les institutions financières internationales doivent se retirer du forage, des pipelines et des mines}}, institution = {Friends of the Earth International}, year = {2003}, month = dec, url = {https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Les-mines-ny-touchez-plus.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }