Environment, according to Merriam-Webster, is the complex of
physical, chemical, and biotic factors (as climate, soil and living things)
that act upon an organism or an ecological community and ultimately determine
its form and survival. The natural world. Isn’t the minerals stuck deep into
the layers of soil, also part of nature? Some of us try to fight off mining
with blind conviction but don’t really mind that the place they call home is
filled with materials that spells m-i-n-i-n-g.
Now we focus on how mining companies can practice
responsible mining - employee training. It is an important component of any
social or environmental strategy that employees are aware of environmental
issues and the company’s policies. As a large scale mining company, they should
take responsibility of their employees’ actions and must provide training in
environmentally sound techniques, overall environmental targets and objectives
of the company, and compliance with environmental guidelines.
It is also imperative that the company offer training and
capacity development in cultural awareness, community relations and management
of social conflict which should include policy review on damaging behaviour,
such as alcohol and drug abuse, hunting or land clearing, and a consistently
enforced system of punishment for violation of company policies.
Another environmental strategy is the proactive
contributions to conservation. While it is important that mining companies
understand and address the environmental impacts of their operations, simply
minimizing the adverse effects may not be enough in sensitive ecosystems like a
tropical forest. In addition to decreasing negative impacts, a company should
also make a proactive, positive contribution to local or regional conservation
efforts, to promote a net benefit from its presence in an area.
An interested mining company must work together with the
local government, NGOs and communities to determine creative ways how the
company can contribute to national or local conservation efforts as a way of
offsetting its impact on the environment. Such contributions may include:
a.
financial or in-kind support for management of
national parks,
b.
research grants for scientists,
c.
participation in the creation and management of
a new local protected area or indigenous reserve,
d.
educational programs,
e.
contributions to local governmental or
non-governmental conservation and community development programs.
Because each area will have a different ecological characteristics and different needs, programs must be designed on a case to case basis in conjunction with relevant stakeholders and experts.
In all cases, these cases should not be seen as a substitute
for mitigation but rather as a complement to environmental practices. They
should not be seen as permission to degrade pristine lands in exchange for
restoring marginal lands elsewhere.
On the government’s part the following steps can help
promote responsible mining with financial tools:
1.
Utilize taxes to encourage pollution control and
waste education;
2.
Require posting of performance bonds to ensure
that funds will be available to mitigate damage or complete reclamation at a
mining site;
3.
Establish national trust funds to provide
additional funding for conservation or community development;
4.
Ensure that trust funds reach their intended
beneficiaries;
5.
Encourage the use of conservation offset to
increase the positive benefits of mining projects.
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