Mining and Sustainable Development II - DTIE

Mining
Mining Minerals and Sustainable
Development (MMSD) Project
Luke Danielson, Director, 1A Doughty St., London, WC1N 2PN, England
MMSD is an independent process of
multi-stakeholder engagement and
analysis with the objective of “identifying
how mining and minerals can best contribute
to the global transition to sustainable development”.
Beginning in April 2000, it is a two year
project designed both to produce concrete results
during this period, and to create structures capable
of being carried forward thereafter.
MMSD was initiated by the World Business
Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD)
as one of a number of projects initiated by the
Global Mining Initiative (GMI). The Project is
independent of the Global Mining Initiative and
managed by the International Institute for Environment
and Development (IIED), 1 under the
supervision of a distinguished international Assurance
Group.
MMSD’s objectives are fourfold. First, there is
a need for analysis to assess global mining and
minerals use in terms of the transition to sustainable
development. Second, what are the future
scenerios to identify if and how the services provided
by the minerals system can be delivered in
accordance with sustainable development in the
future. Third, propose key elements of an action
plan for improvement in the minerals system, and
fourth, create mechanisms to identify how mining
and minerals can best contriubte to a global transition
to sustainable development.
To achieve these objectives, four main elements
have been identified: research and analysis; stakeholder
engagement; communication and implementation.
MMSD represents a unique attempt to bring
together the actors affected by the minerals cycle
including exploration for deposits, construction
of mines, mining operations, closure and rehabilitation
and the use, reuse, recycling and final disposal
of mineral products. MMSD views itself as
an agent of change for the transition to a more sustainable
society which will require all social actors
to change the way they produce, use recycle and
dispose of resources.
The Project, directed by Luke Danielson is centred
at the IIED in London, England. It is in the
process of creating a series of regional partnerships
and has a unique, albeit complex governance
structure. But it is working to get the process right
– to be as transparent and open as possible so as to
create conditions in which as wide as possible a set
of stakeholders feel they can engage with confidence
that their efforts can influence the Project’s
outcomes. Information is easily available on the
MMSD website (www.iied.org/mmsd).
Mineral resources have throughout history
been a critical part of the human economy, and
the way they are produced and used has had a profound
effect on human society and culture. This is
obvious by our very characterization of much of
the human past as the Stone Age, the Copper Age,
the Bronze Age and the Iron Age. It is therefore,
reasonable to believe that a major shift in the way
human societies operate is likely to produce – or
be produced by – changes in the conditions under
which minerals are produced and consumed.
The timelines for the MMSD Project are very
tight as the Project Report is scheduled to be presented
at the GMI meeting in Toronto, Canada
in May 2002 so as to be presented to the Rio +10
high level summit in 2002. Expectations are high
that this Project will contribute significantly to
everyone’s understanding of sustainability and the
role of mining minerals and metals.
Note
1 GMI was formed by the Chief Executive Officers
of several of the world’s principal mining
companies.
◆
Accident prevention and environmental safety in mining: the role of governments
Improving mining safety around the world is a responsibility of governments
and of companies. With accidents, particularly tailings spills, happening
in developed and developing countries alike causing increasing
concern amongst communities and governments, the time was ripe for an
initiative to bring mining regulators together to focus on ways to achieve
the common objective of accident prevention.
Together with the Australian Government, UNEP hosted a Workshop
on Environmental Regulation For Accident Prevention in Mining – Tailings
and Chemicals Management. Held October 2000, in Perth, Australia, is
was the first major international gathering of regulators to share experience,
practices and problems associated with regulation of the high hazard
components of mining. Forty-five regulators and professionals
attended from some 20 countries.
Participants compared the actions which various governments had taken
to prevent accidents and improve environmental safety at mines. A large
number of common issues, objectives and approaches emerged in spite of
the differences in size, scale or age of the various countries’ mining industries
and the different geological and climatic environments which host
mines. Participants benefited from the preparedness of governments which
had experienced a major mining accident sharing what they had learned
and the changes they had made to their permitting and oversight procedures
as a result. Participants from developing countries currently opening
up new mining operations found the information particularly timely.
Key issues which emerged at the Workshop included:
◆ How to adapt regulations and permitting procedures to efficiently and
effectively cover a non-homogeneous industry with big and small players,
different site specific circumstances, high performing companies and companies
operating to recognised systems or Codes along with poor performing
companies;
◆ Specific ways to improve permitting, monitoring and oversight of tailings
facilities, especially different requirements for critical review before
approvals, plus effective inspection and reporting regimes. The competency
and authority of regulators to intervene in the event of a problem
was a related issue;
◆ Identification of early warning signs of impending accidents;
◆ The need to build and maintain appropriate skills, expertise and
resources to enhance regulatory capacity;
◆ Evolving interface between industry codes and regulation, and evolving
regulatory tools including differential approaches to financial or oversight
provisions for different performers;
◆ Community participation and involvement in approaches to decisionmaking,
oversight and emergency awareness and preparedness.
The presentations represent a resource for all governments as well as the
papers on each country’s issues and practices. The resulting network will
facilitate the international spread of new regulatory approaches.
The Workshop made significant progress towards finding better ways
of regulating potentially hazardous aspects of mining, and many of the
participants were keen that this not to be a one off event. Regular
exchanges between governments would help accelerate the evolution of
international thinking and practice amongst governments. UNEP is also
of the view that a regular Mining Regulators Forum should be seriously
considered. ”Mining is a global activity and it is perhaps remarkable that there
is no such regular exchange already taking place”. ( Klaus Töpfer , Nov 2000)
The legacy of the Workshop should be more effective government oversight
in support of the industry’s own efforts to reduce the number of accidents.
This will allow the benefits of the mining industry to continue to
accrue to consumers, companies and countries alike as confidence is
regained in the industry’s safety.
Workshop papers have been posted on UNEP’s Minerals Resources
Forum website (www.natural-resources.org/environment).
86 ◆ UNEP Industry and Environment – Special issue 2000