The Bureau of the Berne Convention has expressed serious concerns about potential negative effects from lithium mining in Serbia’s Jadar river valley. The body urged Serbian authorities to halt the project until a thorough environmental impact assessment is carried out. The announcement was made by the environmental NGO Earth Thrive.
The Bureau reviewed the lithium mining case during a meeting held on June 18 and 19. The review was conducted based on a complaint received by the Bureau, according to reports by the Beta news agency. Earth Thrive said the Bureau’s concerns were raised in connection with water and soil quality.
Concerns over water and soil impacts
The Bureau highlighted risks of significant harm to water and soil quality linked to the mining project. It said such impacts could affect flora and fauna downstream of the mining site. The Bureau called on the government to suspend project implementation while a comprehensive environmental assessment is completed.
Request for details on protected species removal
The Bureau also requested additional information regarding the removal of 60 protected species from documents issued by the Nature Protection Institute of Serbia. Earth Thrive said this omission could relate to three articles of the Berne Convention. Those articles cited were integration of nature protection into development plans (Article 3.2), preservation of endangered species’ habitats (Article 4.1), and prevention of deterioration of protected natural areas (Article 4.2).
Transparency concerns and consultation recommendation
Earth Thrive said this is the first time the Bureau has explicitly cited a potential breach of the Convention’s articles. The NGO described it as indicating a possible violation of international law. The Bureau also criticized what it described as a lack of transparency and insufficient available information on the project.
The Bureau recommended holding online consultations with independent experts to support openness and thorough evaluation. Earth Thrive reported that this recommendation was part of the Bureau’s response to the case under review.