On October 20, the SME-chaired World Federation of Engineering Organization’s Task Force on Sustainable Development and Mining convened a half day workshop in Vung Tau City, Vietnam on capacity building and sustainable development targeted at small and medium sized mining operations and stakeholder communities in Southeast Asia. SME’s 2013 president Jessica Kogel represented SME and gave a presentation on Mining in the Context of Sustainable Development.
Dr. David Laurence, University of New South Wales, Sydney, AU
This workshop was held in conjunction with the Society of Mining Professors regional meeting and the ASEAN++ 2014 Conference. The goal of the workshop was to provide mine operators, non-governmental organizations, local and regional government officials, regulators and other industry stakeholders a common platform for exploring critical issues around mining, sustainable development, and water resources in South East Asia.
The workshop had the following critical outcomes:
- Outline basic concepts of mining and sustainability.
- Provide examples of practical sustainable development practices for managing mining operations.
- Promote open exchange of ideas about critical issues from diverse perspectives among affected stakeholder groups.
- Introduce the broad stakeholder community to how mining contributes to sustainable development with examples drawn from practical experience.
Hoa Van Nguyen, Imerys
The workshop program began with presentations introducing the basic concepts of mining and sustainable development. The workshop format then shifted to an interactive, multi-stakeholder panel discussion focused on the topic of Creating Partnerships to Manage Southeast Asia’s Water Resources for a Sustainable Future. Water is fundamental to human life and has significant social, economic and environmental impacts particularly in Southeast Asia where there is rapid economic development, industrialization and population growth in a region with significant mineral potential. Participants engaged in a transparent and positive exchange about one of the most challenging issues that the region faces today.
Stakeholder Panel: Mining and Water Utilization in Southeast Asia
Panelists representing industry, government, a non-governmental organization and the local community discussed the following topics:
- The mining industry’s consumption of and impact on water resources,
- The positive contribution that mining can make to water management,
- Community concerns about water availability and safety,
- Government’s role in regulating water for diverse stakeholders,
- Working partnerships for long-term responsible water resource management.