Ernesto Cussianovich has a degree in History from the University of Buenos Aires, a Diploma in Organizational Management from the San Pablo-CEU University in Madrid and a Master's in Economic History and Development Patterns from the London School of Economics of the University of London. He has received several research grants including the Carolina Foundation (Spain), the Chevening Award Scheme (UK), the Maison des Sciences de L'Homme Foundation (France), CONICET and the University of Buenos Aires. He worked as director of programs at International Voice, an education and cooperation agency based in Osaka, Japan. He worked as project manager in governance, education and sustainability of the British Council, the international cooperation agency of the United Kingdom where he developed projects for Argentina and Latin America. Consultant in international organizations such as ECLAC, World Bank and IDB, he is also a professor at the Di Tella University. He has published various articles on mining, oil and environmental issues. He is currently the Director of Energy, Natural Resources and the Environment at Poliarquía Consultores, where he works with a client portfolio that includes companies, governments, universities and civil society organizations.
In recent years, the public image of mining in the country has significantly improved. This was especially the case in provinces where until recently there was very little information, knowledge or interest in mining. The leading role of lithium and the expectations in copper favoured a more tolerant view of society about the industry, something that has also influenced investors and provincial governments that are more interested in the activity. New companies of Chinese, Australian and even Korean origin have joined the long list of companies dominated by Canadian mining companies. For its part, the agenda of issues associated with environmental care, communities or public control was enlarged, especially in relation to local development, indigenous peoples or the impact of mining on water. In this presentation for Argentina Mining we offer a summary of recent studies on mining and public opinion at the national and provincial levels (especially in Jujuy, Salta and Catamarca). New issues related to information, the environment, public control and the role of provincial governments in relation to mining and the electoral process of 2023 are addressed.