Environment / Natural Resources Management
Management and preservation of natural environments, ecological systems, and biodiversity are essential for sustainable economic, social, cultural and business development. Environmental concerns linked to extractive industry include water quality, use of mercury, waste disposal, land grading, deforestation, gas flaring, oil spills, disruption to ecosystems, and climate change. Some groups bare the burden of these challenges more heavily than others--indigenous peoples face significant risks given their dependence on renewable natural resources. Environmentally-affected stakeholders often lack the power, connections and information to demand positive ecological stewardship from companies, government and community members themselves. The lack of sectoral cooperation in governments can further stress attempts to coordinate sound national and regional environmental management. A key to successfully coordinating efforts and reducing environmental threats is to incorporate multiple stakeholders into the project design, implementation and monitoring.
FEATURED RESOURCES
September 2012
This report presents the results of a review of the World Bank’s strategic environmental assessment (SEA ) experience undertaken by the World Bank learning community—the SEA Community of Practice (SEA CoP). The review included regional reviews that analyzed the World Bank’s SEA experience for all Regions in which the Bank is operating. These reviews were complemented by the production of a synthesis and conclusion chapter to draw lessons and good SEA practices.
2011
IFC's Sustainability Framework articulates the Corporation's strategic commitment to sustainable development, and is an integral part of IFC's approach to risk management. The Sustainability Framework comprises IFC's Policy and Performance Standards on Environmental and Social Sustainability, and IFC's Access to Information Policy.
16 Sep 2012
The ISO 14000 family addresses various aspects of environmental management. It provides practical tools for companies and organizations looking to identify and control their environmental impact and constantly improve their environmental performance. ISO 14001:2004 and ISO 14004:2004 focus on environmental management systems. The other standards in the family focus on specific environmental aspects such as life cycle analysis, communication and auditing.
November 2007
The report aims to provide a methodology that companies, governments, and civil society groups can use to develop a set of standards for environmentally responsible mining, or the identification of areas that should be placed off limits from mineral development -- so-called "no go" zones.
June 2008
The CAO has prepared this guide to be used as a design tool for communities, civil society organizations, corporations, and governments at both the subnational and national level that want to implement participatory water monitoring programs. The document provides a framework that can be used to develop a detailed implementation plan that meets the unique characteristics of each situation.
June 2005
The purpose of this guidance note is to provide an overview of the salient social issues relating to natural resource management (NRM) sector activities and to discuss practical ways of applying social analysis in the design, implementation, and monitoring and evaluation of Bank-financed NRM operations. This note presents a conceptual framework for social analysis in NRM projects and offers project managers useful information and guidance on how to integrate social analysis into each part of the NRM project cycle.
February 2007
This handbook addresses the theme of biodiversity management, which is one theme in the Leading Practice Sustainable Development Program. The aims of the Program are to identify the key issues affecting sustainable development in the mining industry and provide information and case studies that illustrate a more sustainable basis for the mining industry.
August 11 2008
This document presents an Integrated Mine Closure Planning Toolkit for the mining and metals sector. The toolkit is intended to be used to promote a more disciplined approach to integrated closure planning and to increase the uniformity of good practices across the sector. The concepts apply equally well to both large and small companies.
April 2005
The purpose of the Oil and Gas Industry Guidance on Voluntary Sustainability Reporting is to assist current and future oil and gas companies in improving the quality and consistency of voluntary reporting on their environmental, health and safety, social and economic performance.
23 July 2003
The PDAC developed the e3 Environmental Excellence in Exploration program in partnership with a consortium of leading mining companies to encourage environmental stewardship and community engagement during the exploration stage of resource development. e3 is an online reference (e-manual) of good practices in exploration, along with guidelines for their implementation, that were compiled and produced for the global exploration community, its contractors and sub-contractors.
2010 Edition
ICMM has released a new set of case studies on mining and biodiversity to coincide with the meeting of the governing body for the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP10) in Nagoya, Japan. Mining and Biodiversity: A Collection of Case Studies – 2010 Edition is a snapshot of how field experience and good practices have developed since ICMM first started working on biodiversity. This ranges from our engagement with the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) to the 2006 release of Good Practice Guidance for Mining and Biodiversity.
2006
This Good Practice Guidance provides the mining industry with an outline of the steps required to improve biodiversity management throughout the mine cycle. Ultimately, through implementation of this Good Practice Guide, mining companies should minimize the likelihood of negative impacts on biodiversity, project delays and damage to their reputations.
The principal purpose of this document is to offer appropriate guidance on the integration of biodiversity into an Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA). As such, it contains neither a general review of ESIAs, nor recommendations for the creation of a new type of ESIA process, focusing instead on the steps and actions necessary to accomplish the proper integration of biodiversity.
This report presents a summary of the analysis and conclusions of the EBI to date. While this report and other products of the EBI focus specifically on biodiversity, it is important to note that biodiversity conservation is an integral component of the goals of sustainable development. A PowerPoint presentation based on the report is also available.