News:
MMSD Regional Activities

MMSD Regional Partners:
MMSD Australia
MMSD Latin America
MMSD North America
MMSD Southern Africa

Other Regional Activities Taking Place:
China
Europe
Former Soviet Union

Other Global MMSD Activities:

Preview of Corporate Survey Results presented at Mining Seminar in Dundee

MMSD Calls for Participation in its Biodiversity Activities Initial Workshop to be held in late May

In Brief …

Heads-Up for …

For a printable version of the MMSD news bulletin, click here.

Special Issue: MMSD Regional Activities

Much of MMSD's work is undertaken at the regional level in principal mineral producing and consuming regions. Regional Partners have been formally established in Australia, Latin America, North America and Southern Africa. In addition, MMSD activities are being planned and carried out in China, Europe and the Former Soviet Union. The Project will also be conducting activities in Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and The Philippines (a further update on these countries will follow soon).

We would like to take this opportunity to give our bulletin readers an update on MMSD's regional activities: where they are taking place, what their aims are and what future activities are envisioned.

MMSD Regional Partners

The MMSD Regional Partnerships help the Project to address regional issues, to include regional stakeholder perspectives, to access important information which is only available locally, and to reflect the fact that priorities differ from one to region to another. It is hoped that after the Project ends in 2002, the MMSD Regional Centres, based in the Regional Partner organisations, will continue to exist and will provide a network of strong, regionally-based hubs, broadly acceptable to stakeholders and capable of quality research on issues of sustainable development and the mining and minerals sector.

MMSD Australia

The Australian Minerals and Energy Environment Foundation (Ameef) carries out MMSD's activities in Australia. Ameef was appointed following agreement at a stakeholder workshop in December 2000 and began operations in February 2001, building on a regional scoping exercise and stakeholder workshop held previously.

MMSD AUSTRALIA has a Regional Reference Group providing strategic direction and supervision. The Group embodies a range of stakeholder perspectives through representation from industry, government, non-governmental organisations, research organisations, trades unions and professional bodies. The Reference Group has established its terms of reference, which identify its role in providing a critical overview of MMSD AUSTRALIA's project direction, activities and outputs. MMSD Australia also has a full-time coordinator, Bren Sheehy, responsible for managing day-to-day operations and ensuring that regional activities and products reflect the global project's broader objectives.

MMSD AUSTRALIA has defined a Project Activity Plan setting out regional project objectives, anticipated project outputs, specific activities in key areas, project time-lines and milestones, project budgets and other resources, and reporting, monitoring and evaluation arrangements. It also conducted its first stakeholder workshop in December 2000, attended by over 70 participants, in Melbourne with video links to Brisbane and Perth.

Following stakeholder consultation, key regional research priorities were identified. These are: biodiversity conservation, management of mineral wealth, industry-based initiatives in sustainable development, and stakeholder engagement. Following a call for research proposals, regional baseline assessment and research reports were commissioned.

MMSD AUSTRALIA's future priorities include extending the participation of communities, indigenous groups and NGOs in regional project activities, improving stakeholder representation in the Regional Reference Group, reviewing opportunities for stakeholder participation, delivering the findings of substantive research into the key issues of sustainability in the Australian mining industry, and reporting on historical trajectories and the current status of the Australian minerals industry in relation to sustainable development. In addition, the Australian Partners are looking into ways of enhancing activities in the Asia-Pacific region.

A database of contacts, a regional website (www.ameef.com.au/mmsd), and a regional newsletter (MMSD Update) have been launched and continue to be improved. For more information on MMSD AUSTRALIA, please contact Bren Sheehy at bren@ameef.com.au.

MMSD Latin America

MMSD LATIN AMERICA is led by the Centro de Investigación y Planificación del Medio Ambiente (CIPMA) in Santiago, Chile, and the Mining Policy Research Initiative (MPRI) in Montevideo, Uruguay. The Latin American process has two components: research (coordinated by CIPMA) and participation (coordinated by MPRI). Both components will be carried out in close coordination to produce a final regional report that addresses a research agenda supported by the participative process.

An Advisory Group has been established to achieve a greater degree of independence and accountability. Its key responsibilities are to provide guidance and basic information in the Latin American Region. The Group is assisting MMSD LATIN AMERICA in defining terms of reference for the national participatory research processes and for the research agenda. It will also discuss the draft Baseline Study and the draft results of the participatory process, and will review the final report for Latin America. The Group comprises recognised individuals from many nations of the region, with a broad range of backgrounds, chosen for their independence and experience in fields relevant to the Project.

The process will be undertaken in 5 countries: Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador and Peru. MMSD LATIN AMERICA is aware that important mining activities take place in other countries of the region and hopes to include more countries in the future. To expand the network and enhance the process, each country will have a national coordinator responsible for the process at the national level and for producing a national report. These coordinators have already been chosen and are currently engaged in organising their activities.

Terms of reference for the participatory and research components have been established. To date, MMSD LATIN AMERICA has carried out background research leading to the identification of key issues on mining and sustainability in the region. The participatory process will begin with a survey of around 1,000 stakeholders in the region.

A regional website (www.mmsd-la.org) and a database of contacts are being developed. "Road-shows" presenting the project to different stakeholders have been brought to Chile, Peru and Toronto. In addition, MMSD LATIN AMERICA participated in the Communities and Mining Workshop organised by CAMMA (Annual Meeting of the Mines Ministers of the Americas) in March.

On 26-27 April the Partners held their first Advisory Group and National Coordinators meeting in Santiago, Chile. Key priority issues were discussed and identified. The varying scope of the Project in different countries was also examined.

For more information contact the regional coordinators Hernán Blanco (hblanco@cipma.cl) and Cristina Echavarría (cechavarria@idrc.org.uy).

MMSD North America

MMSD's activities in North America are carried out by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) in Winnipeg, Canada. MMSD NORTH AMERICA covers Canada, the United States and Mexico.

Their current activities include: expanding the network of engaged communities of interest, reviewing the revised work plan, finalising terms of reference, initiating research, and exploring options for additional funding and support.

In addition, the Partners are looking into ways to generate an on-going post-MMSD mechanism for a periodic North American Mining Dialogue. The Dialogue would aim to bring together implicated communities of interest to exchange views on mining and sustainability-related issues and build ideas for improving current practices.

MMSD NORTH AMERICA is planning its activities around three areas: (a) preparing a Sustainability Profile of mining in North America (aiming to capture the nature of the mining and minerals industry, past and present, through the lens of sustainability), (b) thinking of scenarios for the future (targeting the development of what the future could bring to the mining and minerals industry and the related communities of interest), and (c) identifying a practical test for sustainability (to build collaboratively a practical way of assessing existing and proposed projects from the perspective of sustainability).

MMSD NORTH AMERICA is currently designing Mining Alert, an electronic-based distribution of summarised key sustainability/mining-related news stories. This effort is conceived as a step in the development of a mining-related publication from the perspective of sustainable development. MMSD NORTH AMERICA plans to test stakeholders' interest in this initiative.

Also, an MMSD NORTH AMERICA website is being developed. For more information on MMSD NORTH AMERICA, contact Anthony Hodge at info@iisd.ca or Dirk van Zyl at dvanzyl@mines.unr.edu.

MMSD Southern Africa

The University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa, and the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research in Stellenbosch, South Africa, are responsible for MMSD activities in Southern Africa. This process covers the countries of the Southern African Development Community (SADC): Angola, Botswana, Congo, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

A Regional Working Group - coordinating the Project's daily activities - and a Regional Steering Committee - overviewing the Work Group's progress - are in place.

Between September and November 2000 MMSD SOUTHERN AFRICA undertook extensive stakeholder outreach and consultation culminating in a multistakeholder meeting where they received the mandate to formulate its research projects, reflecting the prioritised issues. The Project Plan has been finalised and the research topics and stakeholder engagement activities have been outlined.

The first project of the MMSD SOUTHERN AFRICA research programme took place in March. The Sustainable Development Workshop aimed to arrive at a regional and working definition of sustainable development for the mining and minerals sector in Southern Africa. The outcome of this workshop was the first draft of the working document Locating The Mining and Minerals Sector Within The Southern African Vision For Sustainable Development. This document is now being reviewed by a wide range of stakeholders, and comment on it is facilitated through the MMSD SOUTHERN AFRICA newsletter and website. On 18 April a specialist research workshop was held seeking to finalise contracts with the research coordinators.

MMSD SOUTHERN AFRICA's current priorities include: completing commissioned research and overseeing its review and finalisation, developing the sustainable development working document as the basis for the framework for action, raising additional funds, intensifying activities related to stakeholder consultation, and touring the SADC region.

MMSD SOUTHERN AFRICA has been invited to attend a meeting in April at which the new SADC mining protocol will be formulated. In May MMSD SOUTHERN AFRICA will act as local coordinators for the global MMSD Assurance Group meeting.

MMSD SOUTHERN AFRICA has a website (www.mining.wits.ac.za/mmsd.html) and a monthly newsletter providing updates and opportunities to participate.

For more information on the Southern Africa process, contact Marie Hoadley at Hoadley@egoli.min.wits.ac.za.

Other MMSD Regional Activities Taking Place

China

The mining and minerals sector in China serves a large domestic market, employing millions of workers. The Chinese markets in metals and minerals are some of the largest in the world in terms of production and consumption. These markets are characterised by rapid change, both commercially and in terms of the regulatory and administrative environments.

Key issues facing the sector today include mine closure, and environmental management systems. MMSD is in the process of organising a series of meetings with officials at the Chinese Bureau of Land and Resources and the Chinese Environmental Protection Agency. MMSD is also hoping to take part in the forthcoming World Bank meeting on mining issues in late September/early October in X'ian.

For more information, contact Bernice Lee at bernice.lee@iied.org.

Europe

An initial scoping meeting held in December 2000 was designed to explore how MMSD might work at the regional level in Europe. Rather than representing a formal multistakeholder consultation exercise, the meeting was an attempt to seek the advice of leading individuals knowledgeable of some of the critical dimensions of the minerals cycle in Europe.

In February 2001 a meeting was held in Brussels with members of Eurometaux and Euromines. This meeting aimed to develop an understanding of their perspectives on priority issues, inform MMSD of ongoing initiatives in which Eurometaux and Euromines are involved in Europe, and gather their perspectives on what MMSD could contribute to existing activities in Europe.

Following these meetings, it was concluded that in Europe MMSD should focus on reviewing:

• key issues facing the industry, including the 6th EU Environmental Action Program, policy on recycling, risk assessment methodology and a review of the EU chemicals policy;
• the main drivers behind European developments, exploring the dynamics of regulatory initiatives, especially those influencing the production and use of metals, identifying key players or groups in governments, scientists, environmental groups and others, and understanding the importance and the role of public opinion;
• existing models of dialogue and other initiatives.

For more information, contact Elisabeth Wood at elisabeth.wood@iied.org.

Former Soviet Union

MMSD held a series of around twenty meetings in Moscow, and Astana and Almaty, Kazakhstan, over the period 25 March-3 April 2001. They met representatives from a broad range of stakeholder groups operating in the Russian Federation, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan: industry, local and national government, NGOs and other civil society organisations, and academic institutes. The meetings were successful, with a large number of contacts made, and much information received.

A considerable number of priority issues were raised. These included: the diversity of regional priorities stemming from the vast FSU's territory; privatisation and attracting foreign investment; strengthening infrastructure; mine closure; small-scale mining; the environment; and legacy issues.

There is a considerable body of existing research from many different organisations and MMSD is currently locating the individuals and organisations that would take on the task of collecting and synthesising this information. MMSD is also hoping to form an advisory group of experts in different fields to monitor this research work.

A second trip, to Moscow and Abakan, Republic of Khakassia, is planned for early June.

For more information, contact Ben Sandbrook at ben.sandbrook@iied.org.

OTHER GLOBAL MMSD ACTIVITITES

Preview of Corporate Survey Results presented at Mining Seminar in Dundee: "Global Issues in Corporate Mining Strategy and Government Policy", 4-8 June 2001

MMSD and PricewaterhouseCoopers will launch the findings of their joint survey of current corporate practices oriented towards more sustainable mineral development at the Mining Seminar that the Centre for Energy, Petroleum and Mineral Law and Policy (CEPMLP) is holding on 4-8 June 2001.

The survey was sent to 60 large mining companies, with the objective of assessing their understanding of sustainability issues and the current status of their arrangements to manage them.

Through this event, the Centre for Energy, Petroleum and Mineral Law and Policy is providing a forum in which leading practitioners, scholars and experts from the mining sector worldwide can discuss and exchange, in an informal way, ideas related to the most pressing current issues in mining. The programme embraces most of the current issues in the mining industry from the viewpoint of the different stakeholders involved in this sector.

The seminar will address regulatory, legal and policy issues related to mineral development and also more specific corporate, community and environmental concerns regarding mining activities and sustainable development. Also a day will be devoted to a discussion of mining-related issues in the NGO sector.

The new feature of this year's seminar is the Forum on "Mining Policy in Action" in which issues on mining policies and legal reform will be addressed with particular emphasis on the new RSA Minerals Bill. More information about the Mining Seminar is available at www.dundee.ac.uk/cepmlp/main/html/mining2001.html.

MMSD Calls for Participation in its Biodiversity Activities Initial Workshop to be held in late May

Through biodiversity-related activities, MMSD seeks to identify the main issues that surround mining in areas of "valuable" biodiversity (e.g. protected areas, World Heritage Sites, sensitive, rare or endangered ecosystems).

This will broadly involve:

• reviewing the nature and extent of impacts of mining on biodiversity, including secondary impacts;
• analysing whether the benefits arising from mining operations are enough to justify the impacts on biodiversity, and livelihoods dependent on the same biodiversity;
• discussing if there should be areas where mining does not occur and why;
• examining the effectiveness of reduced impact management strategies, including the costs and benefits of such measures and the implications of such;
• identifying the conditions necessary for proactive minerals industry practices to protect and enhance biodiversity.

An informal advisory workshop will be held in late May to brainstorm on these issues. In addition, this workshop is expected to advise the scope and focus of MMSD's research on mining and biodiversity, understand ways of building on and complementing existing initiatives, and identify next steps including the formation of an informal expert group.

For more information on MMSD Biodiversity activities, contact Izabella Koziell at izabella.koziell@iied.org.

In brief:

• On 22-23 April MMSD held an expert workshop on Long-Run Minerals Availability in Washington. The workshop was successful in engaging participants in discussing this important issue, which is to inform the Project's Draft Report due in December 2001. A draft of the presented monograph is available at http://www.iied.org/mmsd/mmsd_pdfs/lrma_workshop_draft.pdf. For more information on this activity, please write to mmsd@iied.org.

Heads up For:

• A report on Assurance Group Meeting, Regional Partners Meeting and Stakeholder Engagement Workshop taking place in Johannesburg, South Africa, 4-9 May 2001. CEOs from important mining companies will also attend.
  
  

MMSD Home | Top of Page

Copyright © 2002 IIED - All Rights Reserved