Mining
Minerals and Sustainable Development (MMSD)
World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD / International
Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) Mining, Minerals and
Sustainable Development Project (MMSD)
To
be amended - Information as of 19 Feb, 2001
ISSUES: addressing
international mining issues; stakeholder partnerships; sustainable development
GOALS:
PARTICIPATING STAKEHOLDERS: Variable
according to each MSP – wide scoping exercises undertaken
TIME FRAME: April 2000-2002
MSP CONTACT DETAILS; URL: www.iied.org/mmsd
Classification:
Type:
The Mining Minerals and Sustainable Development (MMSD) project is an
independent process of participatory analysis with the objective of “
identifying how mining and minerals can best contribute to the global transition
to sustainable development.”
Level:
International / national / regional / with some local processes / inputs
Procedural Aspects:
Designing the MSP
MMSD
is managed by IIED in London, under contract to WBCSD. The project was initiated
by WBCSD and is supported by the Global Mining Initiative. The process was
initially started by an IIED scoping group, then included commercial parties,
then wider involvement – a dynamic process.
In
addition to the technical analysis and consultation, the stakeholder engagement
element of the project is “ intended to promote an equitable, constructive,
secure, and transparent set of processes for engagement of all interested
stakeholders” at the global and
local level. It has 3 elements:
Identifying the issues to be addressed in an MSP
The
process builds on IIED/WBCSD previous experience in carrying out an independent
assessment of the world’s paper industry and prospects for sustainability.
Regional
processes use roundtable structures and expert groups.
Identifying relevant stakeholders
Through
consultation, especially through International Assurance Group.
Identifying MSP participants
Setting the goals of an MSP
Goals
outlined in Scoping Report, prepared by IIED for the WBCSD 1999 in brief are:
During
the 2 year project, MMSD is designed to produce concrete results during its
lifespan, and to create structures capable of taking things forward after that
date. MMSD does not exist to solve or address all the issues faced by the mining
and minerals industry. It is a start in identifying different concerns and
getting processes underway that - long-term
will move issues towards solutions.
Participants
have opportunities to check back with their constituencies when changes are
being proposed.
MSSD
Project aims to support the Global Mining Initiative.
Setting the agenda
Various
groups involved since the process aims to use stakeholders to set the agenda (as
per objectives).
Other
activities are spear-headed by IIED London-based Work Group or directly
contracted out to existing institutions with relevant expertise and networks. A
large part of the work is decentralised to a series of Regional Centres in the
principle mineral producing and consuming regions of the world. An Assurance
Group is charged with assuring adequate peer review of project outputs etc.
Setting the time-table
Set
by Project objectives and time-frame for closure.
Preparatory process
A
multitude of MSPs, at different levels, are used within the project; each have
their own characteristics.
Three
global stakeholder dialogues are planned: role of financial institutions in
funding mining programmes; information access, and role of dialogue &
indigenous peoples. The initial approach is via a small scoping group (no
attempt at an MSP at this stage) looking at certain issues and determining
whether MMSD has anything to contribute (scoping meetings are really a GAP
analysis). The MMSD will try and get hold of the best people (via known networks
etc) to constitute a roundtable brainstorming session (6-16) to come with ideas
on how MMSD could inform issues/add value. Out of this falls the development of
discrete areas of research around each project – MSP networking process with
Regional Partners over which groups to approach, who could input, who could
critique etc plus interim research material. All this leads up to an MSP
workshop of some kind (40-60 people) to reflect on work done.
Communication process
All
usual group work methods are used in addition to stakeholder techniques that
ensure two-way communication. A “very high degree of openness and
transparency” underpins the Project.
All
interim research will be released to stakeholders (participating and
non-participating) as part of a broader engagement process (web-based).
The
communications process ensures / will ensure “ that interested stakeholders,
researchers and others have the means to communicate their ideas freely and
effectively in ways that impact the project and its outcomes”.
Decision-making process: procedures of agreement
Implementation process
Closing the MSP
Overall
project time-limited, ending 2002. Expected results will be fed into Rio+10
event.
Individual
MSPs have different time-frames.
Structural Aspects:
Structures / institutions of the MSP
MMSD
Secretariat
Facilitation
Usually
done by experienced facilitators. MMSD Secretartiat provides support services.
Documentation
Participants
receive all records of process etc.
The
core of MMSDs work is directed towards preparation of a draft report, due end of
2001, covering the broad scope of issues investigated. Interim reports to be
released. Material to cover network building issue.
Relating to not-participating stakeholders
MMSD
regional staff and LA21 projects – overlaps in Indonesia.
At
outset of MMSD there was an idea that it might be possible to engage with local
communities; this can’t really be done by the MMSD London Work Group due to
time / resources but will happen to a smaller extent by regional contacts. And
some groups e.g. indigenous peoples come as individuals, thus allowin the
project to gain a particular perspective.
Relating to the general public
This
is a specialised issue so there is no intentional public information. However
there is a clear, informative and open web site, with viewpoints encouraged (as
with many projects, web site needs updating).
Linkage into official decision-making process
MSPs
will probably feed into various national/international decision-making
processes. Too early to detail.
The
final report is likely to contain 3 aspects: