SIDE EVENT
Friday 3 June
17:15-18:30 CEST
Stockholmsmässan, Room 2
Organizers: UNEP, Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency, Principles for Responsible Investment
About: A responsible and sustainable mining sector is crucial for the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, the Paris Agreement goals, the post-2020 global Biodiversity Framework and for a sustainable and inclusive recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic.
In 2020, UNEP together with the mining industry and investors successfully co-convened the Global Industry Standard on Tailings Management (GISTM).
While the responsible management of tailings represents an urgent priority, environmental due diligence in the mining sector urgently needs to be strengthened across the board. This includes biodiversity loss, impacts on ecosystems, pollution and GHG emissions for example. Developing global principles and industry standards which rely on external assurance and third-party verification is a powerful tool to enhance mining practices, mitigate negative impacts and enhance sustainable development outcomes.
This event will discuss how all stakeholders are key in raising the level of ambition of the mining sector to achieve sustainable outcomes while leveraging increasing automation and digitization. The event will illustrate this by addressing the environmental and social challenges in the mining sector and how to build back better from the Covid-19 pandemic and ensure a sustainable and inclusive mining sector.
Moderator(s): Adam Matthews (Church of England Pensions Board)
Panelists:
- Katrin Schneeberger (Swiss Federal Office for the Environment)
- Victoria Tauli-Corpuz (Tebtebba Foundation)
- Aidan Davy (ICMM)
- Maria Sunér (Svemin)
- Ofentse Ditsele (Department of Mines, Ministry of Minerals, Energy and Water Resources, Botswana)
- Mark Cutifani (Anglo American)
Contact person: Charlotte Ndakorerwa (charlotte.ndakorerwa_at_un.org)
Event outcomes (Key transformative actions):
- Multi-stakeholder partnerships between mining industry, Governments, civil society and investors are essential to achieve a 2030 vision for a responsible and sustainable minerals and metals sector. Panelists representing these sectors agree to work together to achieve this vision.
- Mining industry association wish to pursue responsible mining practices. Svemin mining companies will be climate neutral by 2045 latest. ICMM companies are working towards pursuing continual improvement in environmental performance issues, such as water stewardship, energy use and climate change.
- All panelists agreed that no mining activities can take place without the engagement and Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) of indigenous peoples