Table 11 Identification of Data Gaps and Lack of Knowledge

It is clear that low-carbon technologies are mineral intensive and will require large increases in global metal production. What isn’t clear is how climate-impacted populations shift from subsistence agriculture to subsistence mining. ASM is a source of income diversification in many regions where farming is seasonal; in regions experiencing reduced crop yields as a result of altered weather patterns, it is possible that agricultural communities are already shifting to ASM for income stability [82, 87,88,89,90]. Better understanding of this relationship is needed, especially in supporting local development of sustainable climate adaptation strategies.

ASGM is the largest source of global anthropogenic mercury release [91], but relatively little is known about where the mercury is sourced and traded [92]. With the support of UNEP’s “Minamata Convention on Mercury” more data will become available and programs such as PlanetGOLD will help to address the issue of reducing and replacing mercury in ASGM [93]. The supply with mercury for ASGM areas is widely uncontrolled, including illegal trade and informal mercury mining [92]. More information is needed on the production, supply, and market for mercury used in gold extraction.