In March 2019 the fourth United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) adopted a resolution on Mineral Resource Governance (https://papersmart.unon.org/resolution/uploads/k1900741.pdf#overlay-context=node/252). The resolution recognized the link between sustainable management of minerals and metals resources and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and underlined the need for sharing knowledge and experiences (on regulatory approaches, implementation practices, technologies and strategies). A consultation process to gather knowledge and experience on "sustainable management" of minerals and metals is currently unfolding under the auspices of the UNEP through a series of regional and global consultations. The UNEA resolution is, in turn, based on a number of reports, including the International Resource Panel's Mineral Resource Governance in the 21st century. This report makes interesting proposals around a Sustainable Development Licence to Operate, sustainable development principles for mining, transnational and international mineral governance reform, and the focus of proposed national policy and legal reforms.
This webinar unpacks the UNEA-4 Mineral Resource Governance resolution, the consultation process, and the main take-homes of the IRP's report. Taking note of the mining governance paradigms identified in Field's State Governance of Mining, Development and Sustainability (Edward Elgar, 2019), the webinar seeks to ask: Are we witnessing a new paradigm in national and global minerals governance? Or is this same old, same old?
