Madagascar's forests are cleared for illegal mines

Desperate Madagascar miners spend months digging dangerous illegal shafts, hunting for gems to feed their families.

Five months of mining could yield only $500 worth of gems to feed families of 16 or more while forests are chopped down to make way for the treasure hunters.

Sky's Special Correspondent Alex Crawford visited the mining camps and families who depend on them.

[jubejubesa]

I love how people are complaining about the environment. This is seeming like the only way these people can live, so very clearly it's more important than the forest.

[yournextlondonmayor]

Guess what they’re mining rare earth minerals for electric cars

[johnkaplan]

At 5:13 poor guys drops one and no one noticed

[sharingathought]

We're our own enemies, 5:51 paying a dollar for 5months work?

[biulaimh]

When they are finished digging a shatf, they could build a little semi circle wall slightly downhill of it to have the shaft fill with rainwater. A little solar powered pump with drip irrigation would give them a crop during the dry season.

[devilsadvocate]

Despite ongoing deforestation, fires, drought-induced die-offs, and insect outbreaks, the world’s tree cover actually increased by 2.24 million square kilometers — an area the size of Texas and Alaska combined — over the past 35 years

[tm]

I hope that go pro belongs to sky news.

[captain_context]

And as usual... Its all Europeans fault for bying rings and gems, right?

[HikmatulloXursanov]

If wealthy countries so care about climate change, they should help these people to make a living.