UNEP
The 18th session of the Commission (CSD-18) provided a useful opportunity to review the progress that has
been made and the numerous challenges that need to be addressed in the context of ensuring the
sustainable development of the mining sector. As was noted in the various regional reports prepared for CSD-
18 and highlighted in the Chair?s summary:
· The aggregate output of the mining sector has significantly grown over the last decade and is set to
expand in the coming decades to meet the growing demand of the global economy for primary
resources. Hence, ensuring the development of the mining sector on a sustainable basis is a critical
challenge that needs to be addressed by the global community.
· When managed properly, mining offers the opportunity to catalyze broad-based development
and even reduce poverty. But there are numerous challenge s that need to be addressed in order
to develop mining solutions that are sustainable at the community, national and global levels,
while preserving social development and protecting the environment and cultures, in keeping
with the principles of the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation (JPOI).
· Numerous public, private and public-private initiatives and programmes have been launched
since WSSD and a number of good practices have been developed and shared, including on good
governance and sustainable mining principles; mine safety and health. However, in many cases,
environmental, cultural and social impacts of mining are still getting worse inadequately
addressed.
· There have been a growing number of initiatives and programmes aimed at reducing the
environmental or social impacts of Mining and enhancing its contribution to sustainable
development. While there are some encouraging improvements as a result of such initiatives, their
overall impact has been limited due to the lack of a global coordination mechanism that can foster
coordination and synergy among these initiatives.
In response to the recommendation from CSD-18, UNEP commissioned a background study on Mining
initiatives with a purpose of extracting the key lessons and experiences from past and on-going initiatives and
identifying the best possible way of responding to the key issues and challenges identified by the CSD-18. The
study which was supported by an International Review group with representatives from key stakeholders,
including World Bank and ICMM, came-up with some key conclusions which included the following.
1. Demand for the products of the global mining industry is at or near historic highs and these
trends are expected to continue, thus the industry will grow.
2. Many important minerals have key reserves located in developing countries, and fiscal and
regulatory conditions attractive to the international mining have been established in many such
countries; thus the industry will grow substantially in developing countries.
3. Many existing sites and sites of (potential) future mining activities are located in areas of high
conservation and/or social value, or in water-stressed areas; thus environmental issues
associated with mining will remain serious, or worsen as the industry grows.
4. As a major consumer of energy, and producer of fossil fuels, the mining industry has a very large
stake in the climate change debate . The industry has a (potentially) significant role to play in
policy discussions, in the amelioration of climate change, and in managing the ongoing effects of
climate change; thus climate change issues can be expected to increase further in importance
for the mining sector and its degree of engagement will also need to increase.
5. Many host countries for future mining activities are already vulnerable due to their high
dependence upon mineral exports; thus continued growth in mining in such countries without
sound fiscal management and efforts to achieve economic diversification has the potential to
exacerbate such vulnerability.
6. Weak institutions, poor legal frameworks, and insufficient capacity have contributed to the past
failure of many countries to manage mineral resource revenues so as to support long-term
development; as many countries still grapple with these challenges the potential that the
burgeoning mining sector again fails to deliver benefit to developing countries still exists.
7. Many ?new players? are entering the global mining sphere and have not yet developed the skills,
experience and norms required for conduct of leading environmental or social practice; thus
there is a significant probability that future mining activities in the developing world may be
conducted with insufficient emphasis on environmental, social or economic responsibility. Such
events will place even larger challenges on local capacity and legal frames required to achieve
good from the mining sector.
8. At present there remains considerable uncertainty regarding the severity of environmental and
social problems associated with mining activities; thus as the industry grows in size and spread,
so uncertainty also grows regarding the relative performance of the mining industry. Similar
uncertainty grows regarding the true scale of residual or ongoing damage from mining legacies.
As such, uncertainty clouds the potential for sustainable development gains resulting from
mining.
9. While countries articulate a large and growing need to transfer ?leading practice? to the
developing world and to transition economies, at present such leading practice is only broadly
embodied in the mining activities taking place in a limited number of countries; thus a need for
significant efforts to transfer good practices, technologies, and systems is inferred.
10. There are numerous ongoing initiatives that seek to address almost all of the issues and needs
identified by CSD-18 in some way. While these initiatives are making some contribution towards
improving the performance of the sector, they face a number of limitations in terms of ensuring the
contribution of mining to sustainable development.
Taking the above points and the lessons and experiences from existing initiatives into consideration, the
report suggested key areas of focus for (potential) future work (?strategic focus areas?) to facilitate and
improve the contribution of mining to sustainable development. This included:
Achieving integration and synergy ? developing platforms with a prime aim to coordinate existing
and/or future initiatives to deliver greater integration and synergy.
Facilitating information availability for decision-making ? action to deliver better information for
improved decision-making, particularly among governments and authorities. Such is envisaged to
include comprehensive and usable data sets on resource availabilities and flows, mining related
impacts, and existing regulatory and fiscal regimes.
Enhancing sustainable development ? delineating three areas where work with the mining sector is
prerequisite for efforts to enhance sustainable development: firstly, where work can deliver best
practice regulatory frameworks and legislative structures to enhance the contribution of mining to
national and local economies; secondly where action can improve education and capacity building;
and thirdly activities to address the special needs for improved operation and integration of artisanal
and small scale mining.
Addressing mining legacies ? indicating areas to progress work on preventing chronic pollution,
mining related disasters triggered by legacy hazards, and a range of socio-economic issues related to
mining legacies. A more holistic approach to legacy sites will constitute a strategic focus area for any
global initiative.
Greening supply chains ?In the context of this document, this should encompass efforts covering the
entire metal life cycles rather than just mining or metal supply chains. This will include: cleaner
extraction of mineral resources, resource efficient and cleaner technical processes, pursuit of nontoxic
metal products and materials, more functional complex metallic products designed for recovery
and recycling, broader consideration of life cycle performance in production and processing, supply
chain management from mine to market, and from ?re-mine? to market, and so on.
On 03 May 2011, UNEP organized a ?Workshop on Mining for Sustainability? in New York with a purpose of
presenting the findings and recommendations of the Study on Mining Initiative and facilitating discussion on
the key steps that need to be taken. The workshop which included a panel discussion between government,
international agencies and industry associations led to the following conclusions.
· There were and are many initiatives on mining, but the lessons learned, best practice and
dissemination of that information/material is missing. The issues that have been brought up by
the CSD process are addressed by the various initiatives, but there is no global
mechanism/coordination. To develop a sustainable industry, the private sector has to be
involved in any initiative that is planned.
· The panelists agreed that a neutral and large multi -stakeholder platform or global coordination
mechanism to overcome mistrust and foster dialogue and cooperation would be very beneficial
and valuable, but as important is to address the issue of implementation at country level
(technical capacity building and provision of tools) and supporting partnerships at national
level between governments, private sector (investors) and local/indigenous communities.
· There is a growing understanding of the issues and challenges but key challenge is to focus on
implementation and adequate means, including capacity building at national level, social and
environmental responsibility of mining companies, and international governance of the sector
(reflected in paragraphs 50, 52 and 54 of the negotiating text on mining).
· Mining for sustainability or mining and sustainability, a large multi -stakeholder initiative is
needed as long as it can be focused, at least in first phase and demonstrate value-added to
existing initiatives.
been made and the numerous challenges that need to be addressed in the context of ensuring the
sustainable development of the mining sector. As was noted in the various regional reports prepared for CSD-
18 and highlighted in the Chair?s summary:
· The aggregate output of the mining sector has significantly grown over the last decade and is set to
expand in the coming decades to meet the growing demand of the global economy for primary
resources. Hence, ensuring the development of the mining sector on a sustainable basis is a critical
challenge that needs to be addressed by the global community.
· When managed properly, mining offers the opportunity to catalyze broad-based development
and even reduce poverty. But there are numerous challenge s that need to be addressed in order
to develop mining solutions that are sustainable at the community, national and global levels,
while preserving social development and protecting the environment and cultures, in keeping
with the principles of the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation (JPOI).
· Numerous public, private and public-private initiatives and programmes have been launched
since WSSD and a number of good practices have been developed and shared, including on good
governance and sustainable mining principles; mine safety and health. However, in many cases,
environmental, cultural and social impacts of mining are still getting worse inadequately
addressed.
· There have been a growing number of initiatives and programmes aimed at reducing the
environmental or social impacts of Mining and enhancing its contribution to sustainable
development. While there are some encouraging improvements as a result of such initiatives, their
overall impact has been limited due to the lack of a global coordination mechanism that can foster
coordination and synergy among these initiatives.
In response to the recommendation from CSD-18, UNEP commissioned a background study on Mining
initiatives with a purpose of extracting the key lessons and experiences from past and on-going initiatives and
identifying the best possible way of responding to the key issues and challenges identified by the CSD-18. The
study which was supported by an International Review group with representatives from key stakeholders,
including World Bank and ICMM, came-up with some key conclusions which included the following.
1. Demand for the products of the global mining industry is at or near historic highs and these
trends are expected to continue, thus the industry will grow.
2. Many important minerals have key reserves located in developing countries, and fiscal and
regulatory conditions attractive to the international mining have been established in many such
countries; thus the industry will grow substantially in developing countries.
3. Many existing sites and sites of (potential) future mining activities are located in areas of high
conservation and/or social value, or in water-stressed areas; thus environmental issues
associated with mining will remain serious, or worsen as the industry grows.
4. As a major consumer of energy, and producer of fossil fuels, the mining industry has a very large
stake in the climate change debate . The industry has a (potentially) significant role to play in
policy discussions, in the amelioration of climate change, and in managing the ongoing effects of
climate change; thus climate change issues can be expected to increase further in importance
for the mining sector and its degree of engagement will also need to increase.
5. Many host countries for future mining activities are already vulnerable due to their high
dependence upon mineral exports; thus continued growth in mining in such countries without
sound fiscal management and efforts to achieve economic diversification has the potential to
exacerbate such vulnerability.
6. Weak institutions, poor legal frameworks, and insufficient capacity have contributed to the past
failure of many countries to manage mineral resource revenues so as to support long-term
development; as many countries still grapple with these challenges the potential that the
burgeoning mining sector again fails to deliver benefit to developing countries still exists.
7. Many ?new players? are entering the global mining sphere and have not yet developed the skills,
experience and norms required for conduct of leading environmental or social practice; thus
there is a significant probability that future mining activities in the developing world may be
conducted with insufficient emphasis on environmental, social or economic responsibility. Such
events will place even larger challenges on local capacity and legal frames required to achieve
good from the mining sector.
8. At present there remains considerable uncertainty regarding the severity of environmental and
social problems associated with mining activities; thus as the industry grows in size and spread,
so uncertainty also grows regarding the relative performance of the mining industry. Similar
uncertainty grows regarding the true scale of residual or ongoing damage from mining legacies.
As such, uncertainty clouds the potential for sustainable development gains resulting from
mining.
9. While countries articulate a large and growing need to transfer ?leading practice? to the
developing world and to transition economies, at present such leading practice is only broadly
embodied in the mining activities taking place in a limited number of countries; thus a need for
significant efforts to transfer good practices, technologies, and systems is inferred.
10. There are numerous ongoing initiatives that seek to address almost all of the issues and needs
identified by CSD-18 in some way. While these initiatives are making some contribution towards
improving the performance of the sector, they face a number of limitations in terms of ensuring the
contribution of mining to sustainable development.
Taking the above points and the lessons and experiences from existing initiatives into consideration, the
report suggested key areas of focus for (potential) future work (?strategic focus areas?) to facilitate and
improve the contribution of mining to sustainable development. This included:
Achieving integration and synergy ? developing platforms with a prime aim to coordinate existing
and/or future initiatives to deliver greater integration and synergy.
Facilitating information availability for decision-making ? action to deliver better information for
improved decision-making, particularly among governments and authorities. Such is envisaged to
include comprehensive and usable data sets on resource availabilities and flows, mining related
impacts, and existing regulatory and fiscal regimes.
Enhancing sustainable development ? delineating three areas where work with the mining sector is
prerequisite for efforts to enhance sustainable development: firstly, where work can deliver best
practice regulatory frameworks and legislative structures to enhance the contribution of mining to
national and local economies; secondly where action can improve education and capacity building;
and thirdly activities to address the special needs for improved operation and integration of artisanal
and small scale mining.
Addressing mining legacies ? indicating areas to progress work on preventing chronic pollution,
mining related disasters triggered by legacy hazards, and a range of socio-economic issues related to
mining legacies. A more holistic approach to legacy sites will constitute a strategic focus area for any
global initiative.
Greening supply chains ?In the context of this document, this should encompass efforts covering the
entire metal life cycles rather than just mining or metal supply chains. This will include: cleaner
extraction of mineral resources, resource efficient and cleaner technical processes, pursuit of nontoxic
metal products and materials, more functional complex metallic products designed for recovery
and recycling, broader consideration of life cycle performance in production and processing, supply
chain management from mine to market, and from ?re-mine? to market, and so on.
On 03 May 2011, UNEP organized a ?Workshop on Mining for Sustainability? in New York with a purpose of
presenting the findings and recommendations of the Study on Mining Initiative and facilitating discussion on
the key steps that need to be taken. The workshop which included a panel discussion between government,
international agencies and industry associations led to the following conclusions.
· There were and are many initiatives on mining, but the lessons learned, best practice and
dissemination of that information/material is missing. The issues that have been brought up by
the CSD process are addressed by the various initiatives, but there is no global
mechanism/coordination. To develop a sustainable industry, the private sector has to be
involved in any initiative that is planned.
· The panelists agreed that a neutral and large multi -stakeholder platform or global coordination
mechanism to overcome mistrust and foster dialogue and cooperation would be very beneficial
and valuable, but as important is to address the issue of implementation at country level
(technical capacity building and provision of tools) and supporting partnerships at national
level between governments, private sector (investors) and local/indigenous communities.
· There is a growing understanding of the issues and challenges but key challenge is to focus on
implementation and adequate means, including capacity building at national level, social and
environmental responsibility of mining companies, and international governance of the sector
(reflected in paragraphs 50, 52 and 54 of the negotiating text on mining).
· Mining for sustainability or mining and sustainability, a large multi -stakeholder initiative is
needed as long as it can be focused, at least in first phase and demonstrate value-added to
existing initiatives.
Stakeholders