Law Enforcement's Role in Tackling Illegal Gold Mining for Sustainable Development Goals

Illegal gold mining is a significant environmental crime, particularly in resource-rich regions like the Amazon, West Africa, and Southeast Asia. This study uses a qualitative research design to evaluate law enforcement efforts in Brazil, Ghana, and Indonesia. Primary data were collected through sem...

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Main Authors: Puji Prayitno Kuat, Pandu Ramadhan Galih, Nuha Ilmawan Faiz
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: EDP Sciences 2025-01-01
Series:E3S Web of Conferences
Online Access:https://www.e3s-conferences.org/articles/e3sconf/pdf/2025/09/e3sconf_icma-sure2024_07002.pdf
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author Puji Prayitno Kuat
Pandu Ramadhan Galih
Nuha Ilmawan Faiz
author_facet Puji Prayitno Kuat
Pandu Ramadhan Galih
Nuha Ilmawan Faiz
author_sort Puji Prayitno Kuat
collection DOAJ
description Illegal gold mining is a significant environmental crime, particularly in resource-rich regions like the Amazon, West Africa, and Southeast Asia. This study uses a qualitative research design to evaluate law enforcement efforts in Brazil, Ghana, and Indonesia. Primary data were collected through semi-structured interviews involving law enforcement personnel, government officials, environmental experts, and local community members affected by mining activities. These interviews aimed to uncover challenges in enforcing environmental laws, the effectiveness of ongoing measures, and local perceptions of enforcement outcomes. Secondary data comprised an extensive academic literature review, official reports, and legal documents to contextualize the findings within global trends. Case studies were selected based on criteria such as the prevalence of illegal gold mining, environmental impacts, and variations in enforcement strategies. Thematic analysis was employed to identify recurring issues such as corruption, resource constraints, and lack of political will. Results indicate that enforcement has had limited success in curbing deforestation, mercury contamination, and biodiversity loss, mainly due to institutional weaknesses. Enforcement measures disproportionately target small-scale miners while larger organized networks evade prosecution. This paper emphasizes the importance of addressing socioeconomic drivers through alternative livelihoods, international collaboration, and enhanced institutional capacity to achieve sustainable development goals.
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spelling doaj-art-0cc51ae272284bc0bca03c50affc17692025-02-05T10:49:57ZengEDP SciencesE3S Web of Conferences2267-12422025-01-016090700210.1051/e3sconf/202560907002e3sconf_icma-sure2024_07002Law Enforcement's Role in Tackling Illegal Gold Mining for Sustainable Development GoalsPuji Prayitno Kuat0Pandu Ramadhan Galih1Nuha Ilmawan Faiz2Faculty of Law, Universitas Jenderal SoedirmanFaculty of Law, Universitas Jenderal SoedirmanFaculty of Economics and Business, Universitas Jenderal SoedirmanIllegal gold mining is a significant environmental crime, particularly in resource-rich regions like the Amazon, West Africa, and Southeast Asia. This study uses a qualitative research design to evaluate law enforcement efforts in Brazil, Ghana, and Indonesia. Primary data were collected through semi-structured interviews involving law enforcement personnel, government officials, environmental experts, and local community members affected by mining activities. These interviews aimed to uncover challenges in enforcing environmental laws, the effectiveness of ongoing measures, and local perceptions of enforcement outcomes. Secondary data comprised an extensive academic literature review, official reports, and legal documents to contextualize the findings within global trends. Case studies were selected based on criteria such as the prevalence of illegal gold mining, environmental impacts, and variations in enforcement strategies. Thematic analysis was employed to identify recurring issues such as corruption, resource constraints, and lack of political will. Results indicate that enforcement has had limited success in curbing deforestation, mercury contamination, and biodiversity loss, mainly due to institutional weaknesses. Enforcement measures disproportionately target small-scale miners while larger organized networks evade prosecution. This paper emphasizes the importance of addressing socioeconomic drivers through alternative livelihoods, international collaboration, and enhanced institutional capacity to achieve sustainable development goals.https://www.e3s-conferences.org/articles/e3sconf/pdf/2025/09/e3sconf_icma-sure2024_07002.pdf
spellingShingle Puji Prayitno Kuat
Pandu Ramadhan Galih
Nuha Ilmawan Faiz
Law Enforcement's Role in Tackling Illegal Gold Mining for Sustainable Development Goals
E3S Web of Conferences
title Law Enforcement's Role in Tackling Illegal Gold Mining for Sustainable Development Goals
title_full Law Enforcement's Role in Tackling Illegal Gold Mining for Sustainable Development Goals
title_fullStr Law Enforcement's Role in Tackling Illegal Gold Mining for Sustainable Development Goals
title_full_unstemmed Law Enforcement's Role in Tackling Illegal Gold Mining for Sustainable Development Goals
title_short Law Enforcement's Role in Tackling Illegal Gold Mining for Sustainable Development Goals
title_sort law enforcement s role in tackling illegal gold mining for sustainable development goals
url https://www.e3s-conferences.org/articles/e3sconf/pdf/2025/09/e3sconf_icma-sure2024_07002.pdf
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