Dilemma of Sustainable Development Goals in the Global South: Impacts of Artisanal Small Scale Mining in Ghana.

This study examines the environmental and socio-political impacts of illegal artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) on land use change and water security in the Tarkwa Nsuaem Municipality of Ghana, a region emblematic of the broader sustainable development challenges faced by the Global South. Employing a multi-method approach that combines remote sensing analysis with a structured literature review, the research investigates how ASM has reshaped ecological landscapes and community livelihoods over a 33-year period. Using Landsat satellite imagery from 1991 and 2024, the study quantifies significant land cover changes, revealing a 1,653.39% increase in artisanal mining areas and a 41.04% decline in forest cover. Spatial analysis highlights the concentration of illegal mining along critical water bodies, particularly the Bonsa River, leading to water pollution, deforestation, land degradation, and the proliferation of unsafe artificial water bodies. These environmental transformations have significantly undermined access to potable water and contributed to rising socio-economic vulnerabilities among local populations. The study is guided by the Three Pillars of Sustainability and Political Ecology frameworks, which provide a holistic understanding of how environmental degradation is intertwined with governance failures, elite capture, and foreign exploitation. It finds that while ASM offers income-generating opportunities, it ultimately compromises Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG 6) by intensifying water insecurity and deepening inequality. Key recommendations include strengthening environmental regulation, decentralising mining governance, promoting sustainable livelihoods, and investing in water infrastructure. The research recommends the development of inclusive and enforceable policies that strike a balance between economic development, ecological protection, and social justice in Ghana’s mining communities.