Mining for Closure: Policies, practises and guidelines for sustainable mining and closure of mines

preface In the debate on what role the environment plays in causing or resolving conflict, the partnership of international organizations working on the “Envi- ronment and Security” initiative takes a pragmatic position. We focus on participatory assessments and targeted follow-up activities in conflict-prone areas and believe that we can help communicate to achieve environmentally sound development and peace on the ground. Conducting assessments of transboundary envi- ronmental risks in Central Asia, the Caucasus and South Eastern Europe we have concluded that min- ing both in terms of legacies and future planning needs special attention. Environmental protection, human health risks, competition for land have in- creasingly to be taken into consideration in mining regulation and practice. Positive trends are visible: project planning and conduct of mine operations to facilitate environmentally and socially acceptable closure have evolved significantly in recent years.

guidelines for sustainable mining practice and closure of mines” . It is intended as a checklist and guide- book on “best practices” related to mining, useful for an audience far beyond the mining industry, in- cluding government, NGOs, international organi- zations and the general public. “Mining for Closure” was first presented to a broader group of experts and politicians in a sub-regional Ministerial Conference, in Cluj Napoca, Romania in May 2005. The participants welcomed and en- dorsed the report as “a guide and checklist for re- ducing and mitigating the environmental, health and security risks from mining practices” in the ‘Cluj Declaration’ issued at the conference. We see in “Mining for Closure” something like a re- cipie for stimulating debate and public accountabil- ity of mining legacies and operations. Through ap- plying the basic principles and guidelines, not only mining will become environmentally and socially more sustainable, it may also result in more de- mocracy, increased wellbeing and security of those directly and indirectly affected.

In this context, we are happy to present the EN- VSEC publication: “Mining for Closure – Policies and

Frits Schlingemann Ben Slay Bernard Snoy Chris DeWispelaere

Director and Regional Representative, UNEP Regional Office for Europe Director, UNDP Bratislava Regional Office Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities Director, NATO Security Through Science Programme

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MINING FOR CLOSURE