Fighting fire with fire: How military actions expand environmental destruction in informal mining

Abstract

This paper critically examines how military interventions aimed at eradicating informal or illegal mining unintentionally expand the environmental footprint of mining activities. In recent years, governments in many informal mining regions have increasingly relied on military forces to curb the environmental damage attributed to these unregulated practices. Although military action has gained popularity as a rapid-response strategy, its effectiveness in addressing informal mining remains limited. Drawing on the theory of unintended consequences and field data from southwestern Ghana, this study provides new evidence that military interventions, rather than curtailing informal mining, inadvertently drive miners to relocate to undisturbed areas, exacerbating environmental degradation. Miners adapt to military actions by moving to new sites, with mechanized operations significantly accelerating ecological harm. To illustrate this complex dynamic, the study introduces the Intervention and Environmental Expansion (IEE) Framework, demonstrating how ongoing military interventions can inadvertently intensify mining activities and environmental damage.