Sustainable Development: The Road to Johannesburg Summit 2002

Transcription

1 Sustainable Development: The Road to Johannesburg Summit 2002 The workshop covered: Sustainable development for the minerals and metals sector heading into the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD), Johannesburg, South Africa, August 26 - September 4, Regional perspectives, drawing in part on work done through regional Mining, Minerals and Sustainable Development (MMSD) projects. Analysis and commentary from representatives of government, industry and non-governmental organizations.

2 Emil Salim, Chair of the preparatory committee for the WSSD and Eminent Person for the World Bank Extractive Industries Review, set us off on the Road to Johannesburg. He proposed a leadership agenda for governments, and action by all stakeholders, to improve the sustainability of the mining sector. This involves: using the rule of law to require, enforce, and monitor best practice; improving the effectiveness and equity of governance over mining; and extending the horizon and scope of planning and decision-making.

3 Building on a theme introduced at WMMF in 2000, Jim Cooney, Placer Dome, asked whether partnerships for sustainable development are a dream or a reality. Models of corporate responsibilty are evolving Shareholder model versus stakeholder model Balance between stakeholder influence and stakeholder rights Stages of engagement between corporations and stakeholders (dialogue, alignment, collaboration, partnership, joint delivery).

4 Collaboration between NGOs and mining companies is possible under certain circumstances. Partnerships for sustainable development - next steps: define terms of reference and critical success factors establish global standards with verification and certification of performance.

5 Regional Presentations Southern Africa (1) (Andrew Parsons, Senior Environmental Policy Analyst, Chamber of Mines of South Africa) Poverty alleviation is Southern Africa s most important challenge, and must be the focus of any discussion of sustainable development. Mining can continue to make a strong contribution to development in Southern Africa. Mining often establishes infrastructure in remote areas. Research is improving efficiency and reducing environmental impacts.

6 . The objective of MMSD Southern Africa was to determine how the mining and minerals sector can best contribute to the region s transition to sustainable development. Based on stakeholder engagement and research, the MMSD Southern Africa report made more than 40 recommendations, including establishing a multistakeholder forum.

7 . Southern Africa (2) - Resource-based Sustainable Development for South Africa (Paul Jourdan, Minteck) To overcome the curse of resources, a resourcebased strategy that catalyses sustainable development is needed. Mineral resources offer a unique opportunity for the creation of a knowledge-based resource inputs sector. How to facilitate sustainable resource-based development?

8 . Asia-Pacific (Horacio Ramos, Director, Mines and Geosciences Bureau, Philippines Department of Environment and Natural Resources) The Philippines strong mineral resource base justifies mining as a development option, as long as it is responsible mining where benefits outweigh costs. The Philippines National Minerals Policy (NMP) provides the government and the industry with the strategic direction and decision-making tools to revitalize the minerals industry and ensure it is sustainable.

9 The NMP has four policy thrusts:. protection and rehabilitation of the environment; promotion of social and community stability; preservation of options for future generations; and a competitive and prosperous mining industry. NMP vision: A prosperous and socially, economically and environmentally sustainable minerals industry, with broad community and political support, while positively and progressively contributing to the government s program on poverty alleviation and to the general economic well being of the nation.

10 . Latin America: (Cristina Echavarria, Mining Policy Research Initiative (IDRC) and MMSD regional coordinator for South America) MMSD Latin America project (Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, Peru) Good decision-making needs:. criteria; availability of information; balance among economic, social and environmental considerations.

11 contribute to better governance partnerships with local communities multistakeholder monitoring systems. Leadership at the governmental level:. environmental performance local development public management. Challenge for governments: strengthen public management of natural resources improve knowledge and information base build capacity. Challenge for industry:

12 Commentary (Richard Haworth, Assistant Deputy Minister, Natural Resources Canada - government perspective; Jay Hair, Secretary General, International Council on Mining and Metals - industry perspective; Guillermo Watanabe, Centro de Investigaciones para el desarollo minero - NGO perspective) Wide range of challenges facing the industry need to bridge the concerns of multinational companies and small scale miners lifecycle issues - from mine site to the use, re-use, recycling of minerals and metals. Decision-making: sound knowledge base required need to deliver on decisions

13 Sustainable development focuses on values, unlike development which focuses on value. Public/private partnerships (governments, private sector, civil society) are needed to deal with: legacy issues; poverty alleviation; standardized reporting of progress; emergency responses; coordination around protected areas. Community engagement: social and regional benefits foster entrepreneurial spirit.

14 Common themes emerging from the discussions: Poverty alleviation is an overarching concern. For many countries, mining holds the potential for addressing poverty issues. Partnerships are key for sustainable development progress (partnerships must involve all stakeholders). Multinational mining companies are moving towards a new understanding of corporate responsibility and more collaborative approaches. Governments need to demonstrate leadership. Dialogue, information sharing and capacity building are key to progress. Abandoned mines, artisanal and small-scale mining are common concerns.

15 Conclusion The Road to Johannesburg holds potential, but needs to be approached thoughtfully and in a spirit of partnership.