Chinese investments in Zimbabwe’s coal mining industry has triggered a major disaster of the environment as well as risk for wildlife.
Hwange National Park in Zimbabwe is now facing a great threat as the government has granted access to the Chinese companies for coal mining in the area.
Hwange National Park is a rich habitat for lions, elephants and giraffes. Earlier 22 elephants got killed in the same region mysteriously. The government of Zimbabwe could not find the reason for those deaths.
In spite of environmentalists criticism, the government has decided to go ahead with the destructive mining project and allow the Chinese companies to develop coal-fired plants.
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This is a major boost to Beijing’s implicit encouragement for Chinese companies to exploit the resources overseas. The Centre for Natural Resource Governance Zimbabwe has already emphasized the harm that can be caused if the coal mining activities are undertaken by the Chinese companies in Hwange.
China is a leader in Solar energy production. Hence, it has decided to concentrate on countries which rely on coal mining for electricity production. China has also eyed on countries which do not use coal at all for electricity production.
Zimbabwe which also relies on Hydro-electricity to meet its needs is struggling with a shortage of waters due to recent droughts. Kariba Dam is the main source for hydro-electricity not only for Zimbabwe but also to its neighbouring country Zambia. But due to the climate changes, the rainfall has affected the shortage of waters in the Dam.
This situation has been cashed by the Chinese companies to step into many of the African countries in the name of coal mining. Adding to their helplessness, the Chinese companies lure the governments in the name of subsidized development.
Last year, Kenya has stepped back in continuing the Chinese companies coal mining activities as the impact on Lamu, an idyllic archipelago in the country’s northeast was getting affected.