Open Access

Miguel Angel Moreno Martinez

• This thesis investigates the sustainability of proposed alternative livelihoods for the mining community of Camargo in the Sierra Gorda of Querétaro, Mexico. With the impending ban on mercury mining under the Minamata Convention, the community faces the urgent need to transition to sustainable livelihoods. Utilizing the Sustainable Livelihoods Framework (SLF) as a guiding theoretical model, this study assesses the current state of the Five Capitals—human, social, natural, physical, and financial—within the community. It also examines the community's perceptions and attitudes toward these alternative livelihoods and evaluates the external influences, such as government and academic institutions, that impact their sustainability. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with community members, miners, and external stakeholders, and analyzed using qualitative coding in MAXQDA. The findings reveal a complex interplay between the Capitals of the community and the role that external stakeholders play, highlighting both opportunities and barriers to follow a path of sustainability. The study concludes that the livelihoods with most potential for a sustainability path are the cultivation of regional species and the installation of a touristic point in the community. A holistic approach that integrates economic, social, and environmental dimensions, while at the same time considers a tailored natural resources management, is essential for ensuring the path of sustainability of the livelihoods. Points of leverage for change are presented for policy and advocacy, infrastructure development of the community, and considering local resource management in the design and implementation of sustainable livelihood strategies.