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Guidance for Governments: Environmental Management and Mining Governance


The responsible management of natural resources and ecosystems—including soils, plants, animals, water and air, and the services they provide—is central to the efforts of any society seeking to become more sustainable. The health of these resources, ecosystems, and services underpins the health of communities and economies and must be protected and supported for any society to thrive in the long term.

In this context, mineable deposits appear in locations both convenient and inconvenient. They can be close to or distant from human settlements and water sources; they can be surrounded by arable lands, breeding grounds, migration corridors, and ecologically sensitive areas; and they can be in remote areas prone to fierce storms, unstable hillsides, and seismic activity. Mining these deposits will always impact the environment and communities to a greater or lesser extent. The active and sustainable management of ecosystems and natural resources before, during, and after mining will help avoid negative impacts where possible (which may mean excluding mining in certain cases) and can minimize them elsewhere, remediate as necessary, and improve when feasible. Conversely, a failure to effectively manage the impacts of mining can not only threaten the continued viability of operations but can also undermine the relationships between a mining company, affected communities, and all levels of government.

This guidance document is designed to help Intergovernmental Forum on Mining, Minerals, Metals and Sustainable Development (IGF) member states implement the IGF Mining Policy Framework (MPF). The use of the word “governance” in this document refers to the programs and regulatory tools at the disposal of governments to influence mining but excludes corporate governance unless specified as such. It focuses on the role that governments can play in ensuring the effective and sustainable management of the environment and natural resources by the mining sector using the legislative, regulatory, and policy tools and mechanisms at their disposal, including, in particular, environmental and social impact assessments (ESIAs) and environmental and social management plans (ESMPs). The guidance spans the mine life cycle, looking at what governments must do before, during, and after mining to ensure that the environment and its natural resources are continuously well managed. Drawing from the MPF, it highlights the key issues, benchmarks, and standards in four main areas of environmental management in mining—water, biodiversity, waste, and emergency preparedness and response—and the role of governments in ensuring that each is effectively managed in support of sustainable development. The topic chapters each provide an overview of the topic linked to the IGF’s MPF; explore the key issues that governments, communities, and companies are grappling with; present the good international practices that are currently applied to that issue; and discuss the role that governments can play in ensuring strong environmental management.