Mining, Conflict, and Environmental Action in Myanmar’s Borderlands
Publisher: Stimson Center
Author(s): Surachanee Sriyai, Brian Eyler, and Regan Kwan
Date: 2026
Topics: Conflict Causes, Extractive Resources, Governance, Weapons, Waste, and Pollution
Countries: Myanmar
Mining in Myanmar’s eastern borderlands is no longer only a local governance challenge; it is a transboundary environmental and security issue with growing regional consequences. As armed conflict, weak oversight, and demand for critical minerals accelerate extraction, pollution is spreading through shared river systems, exposing communities in Myanmar and Thailand to escalating health, livelihood, and ecological risks. This paper derives insights from a recent workshop and examines how conflict and fragmented authority enable these harms, why existing safeguards have failed, and where practical openings for cross-border cooperation and harm reduction still exist. At stake is not only the future of resource governance in Myanmar, but the credibility of regional responses to environmental insecurity and supply chain accountability.