New water stewardship framework unveiled at UN summit
International Council on Mining & Metals launches new Water stewardship framework at the United Nations CEO Water Mandate summit in Lima, Peru
The International Council on Mining & Metals (ICMM) launched its new Water stewardship framework on Tuesday at the United Nations CEO Water Mandate summit in Lima, Peru (pictured right) with the industry looking to sustainable water stewardship strategies to build trust between miners and communities.
Ross Hamilton, ICMM director for environment and climate change, presented the framework and said: “Water is one of the most significant issues facing the mining and metals industry. It is a critical resource not only for all of our members’ operations but also for other industries, communities and the natural environment.”
The framework is built around four key elements including: transparency and accountability; proactive and inclusive engagement; a catchment-based approach; and effective water resource management.
The Water stewardship framework outlines a standardised approach for the mining and metals industry, “recognising that water connects an operation to the surrounding landscape and communities,” said the ICMM.
It urges mining companies to “publicly report material water risks, management activities and performance,” as well as “engage stakeholders in an open and transparent manner to understand their priorities, share plans and collaborate on solutions.”
The document outlines how mining companies should strive to “understand the social, cultural, economic and environmental value of water at the catchment scale to identify material water stewardship risks and provide context for corporate and operational water management.”
The two page framework document defines effective water resource management as managing “operational water quality (quantity and quality) inputs, use and outputs to maximize resource sustainability, operational flexibility and economic benefit.”
By May 2012, ICMM published the report, “Water management in mining: a selection of case studies”, to illustrate examples of good water management which provide a snapshot of the leadership approaches in the mining industry.
“As water plays an essential role in most mining and extractive processes, responsible water use is a critical business issue that affects the ability of individual mines to establish, operate and close,” said the study. ICCM also stressed that the “operating, environmental and social context of each mine site is different.”
