ICMM
Thank you, Madam Chair. As a representative of the mining industry and a
Director in the International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM), I am grateful
for the opportunity to contribute to this important discussion.
In addition to the views expressed by my colleague Kathryn McPhail I would like
to highlight three points essential to our collective realisation of a positive
contribution of mining to sustainable development.
Firstly it is perhaps no coincidence that the mining sector has an interface with all
five themes of CSD-18. We are both creators and major users of transport
infrastructure; our business is focused on the production of inorganic chemicals;
we are both generators and users of waste and we are a key component in the
realisation of sustainable consumption and production. It is therefore important to
take an integrated approach to effective management of mining?s contribution
to sustainable development.
Secondly a life cycle approach is important to ensure we are maximizing the
value of mining to society. A life cycle approach to responsible production and
responsible use of minerals and metals is required. Mineral wealth should not be
seen as merely a cradle to gate economic vector but a cradle to cradle value
chain. The production of minerals and metals requires significant investment of
human, environmental and economic capital and so the efficient use, reuse and
recycling of metals is critical to the realisation of a net positive return on this
investment.
Thirdly capacity building for sustainable production and sustainable use is
required, particularly in developing countries. Global efforts should be aimed not
only at capacity building to enable countries to put in place good governance of
mineral endowments but to identify and prioritize the environmental, social and
economic challenges they face with respect to sustainable use of minerals and
metals.
Director in the International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM), I am grateful
for the opportunity to contribute to this important discussion.
In addition to the views expressed by my colleague Kathryn McPhail I would like
to highlight three points essential to our collective realisation of a positive
contribution of mining to sustainable development.
Firstly it is perhaps no coincidence that the mining sector has an interface with all
five themes of CSD-18. We are both creators and major users of transport
infrastructure; our business is focused on the production of inorganic chemicals;
we are both generators and users of waste and we are a key component in the
realisation of sustainable consumption and production. It is therefore important to
take an integrated approach to effective management of mining?s contribution
to sustainable development.
Secondly a life cycle approach is important to ensure we are maximizing the
value of mining to society. A life cycle approach to responsible production and
responsible use of minerals and metals is required. Mineral wealth should not be
seen as merely a cradle to gate economic vector but a cradle to cradle value
chain. The production of minerals and metals requires significant investment of
human, environmental and economic capital and so the efficient use, reuse and
recycling of metals is critical to the realisation of a net positive return on this
investment.
Thirdly capacity building for sustainable production and sustainable use is
required, particularly in developing countries. Global efforts should be aimed not
only at capacity building to enable countries to put in place good governance of
mineral endowments but to identify and prioritize the environmental, social and
economic challenges they face with respect to sustainable use of minerals and
metals.