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Extractive
Industries
at the Vth World Parks Congress
Background
Protected
area managers are increasingly aware of the threats and opportunities
of economic development to protected areas. Of topical interest
is the role of extractive industries, including the mining, oil
and gas sectors, in protected areas. In many areas conflict between
extractive industries, local people and conservation objectives
remains a major problem, but more broadly several leading extractive
companies in the extractive sector have shown a strong interest
in improving their performance in relation to biodiversity conservation
in particular in ensuring benefits for local communities.
The Vth
World Parks Congress is breaking new ground by seeking to open a
dialogue with the private sector. This fits within a broader context
of dialogue between the private sector and conservation organizations,
including for example the Energy
and Biodiversity Initiative (EBI) and the
IUCN-ICMM Dialogue
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Goal
& Objectives
The WPC
provides an opportunity to reflect on what progress has been made
in integrating protected area considerations in extractive industries'
operations. Hence the overall goal of working with the extractive
industries at the Congress is to enhance the industries contribution
to protected areas and conservation of biodiversity. The specific
objectives of dialoguing with the extractive industries at the WPC
are to:
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increase
the awareness of the extractive industries about the
importance of protected areas and the IUCN Resolution adopted
at the Second World Conservation Congress on the Protection
and Conservation of Biological Diversity of Protected Areas
from the Negative Impacts of Mining and Exploration (Amman,
October 2000); |
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enhance
the understanding of industries and their recognition
of the IUCN Protected Area Category System as the global framework
for the classification of protected areas; |
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increase
the commitment of industries to respecting protecting areas
by recognizing the concept of 'no go' areas, and by
avoiding protected areas with high conservation values including
natural World heritage Sites; |
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increase
the understanding of the conservation community of
the needs of the extractive industries for a greater clarity
and rigor in the protected areas category system and its application; |
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raise
awareness and understanding among the conservation community
in general, and the protected areas community in particular,
of the opportunities and constraints companies face, and the
support they require in addressing issues of protected areas
and biodiversity conservation; and, |
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provide
a platform for stakeholder participation and discussions
on current issues and ongoing dialogues around extractive
industries and protected areas, and to provide input into
the outputs and outcomes envisaged in these dialogues. |
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Activities
and Events
These objectives
will be pursued at the Congress through a range of activities. Some
major ones are listed below. In the spirit of the objective of providing
a platform for discussion around the issues of protected areas and
extractive industries, these activities and events are open to the
all interested participants of the Congress. The various stakeholders
are in particular encouraged to participate in these workshops,
panel discussions and events.
The Extractive Industries & Protected Areas Side Event
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| Date and Time
: 10th Sep, 17:00-20:00 |
| Organized By:
Marieke Wit
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| Venue: To
be Determined |
| The side event
will have two segments: One will feature an introduction
of the IUCN- CCD (Convention
on Combating Desertification) publication on 'Extractive
Industries in Arid and Semi Arid Lands: Environmental Planning
and Management' Guidelines for Mining and Oil and Gas Exploration
in Arid and Semi Arid Lands, a presentation on 'Recommendations
for Best Practice' resulting from the IUCN-ICMM (International
Council on Mining & Metals) Workshop in July 2003,
and a facilitated discussion on how these recommendations
could be further strengthened. |
| The second
segment will feature an introduction to the commitment
of the mining industry to protected areas and biodiversity
conservation followed by a debate on what this commitment
entails and how it can be further strengthened. |
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A Workshop on Building support from "New Constituencies" |
| Host: The
Workshop Stream on Building
Broader Support for Protected Areas |
| Date and Time
: 11th Sep, 16:00-17:00 |
| Organized By:
Assheton Carter |
| Venue: To
be Determined |
| The
workshop will explore the possibilities for developing new
partnerships to achieve protected areas goals. The oil and
gas and mining industry will be the focus. The EBI experience
will provide the context for the discussion. The workshop
will be followed by a reception. |
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A Workshop on Integrated Land Use Planning and Management
Strategies: Protected Areas and Resource Extraction |
| Host: The
Workshop Stream on Linkages
in Landscape/Seascape Stream |
| Date and Time
: 12th Sep. Full day |
| Organized
By: Scott Houston
& Mohammad Rafiq |
| Venue: To
be Determined |
| The
over all goal of the workshop is to identify the needs and
opportunities for land use planning and management strategies
as a measure of securing a balance in land allocation for
protected areas and other development uses with a view to
reducing conflict and enhancing synergy between various land
uses. The workshop will feature discussion on various aspects
of the extractive industries and protected areas discourse.
The focus will be on mining, protected areas, and the IUCN-ICMM
Dialogue. The discussions will take place in the context
of the ongoing debate on 'no go' areas, local communities
participation and benefits, the precautionary principle, and
the principle of science-based decision making. The key aspects
to be discussed include: |
(a)
Land Use Planning and Management Strategies (Morning
and Early Afternoon)
The presentations and discussions here will take place around
examples of current decision-making processes and land-use
planning tools that might help in better and less conflictual
allocations of land to protected areas and other uses. A review
of the mining and protected areas legislation in selected
countries will be presented .The Indonesian example as a case
of conflict in land allocation and its affects on local communities
and indigenous peoples will also be discussed. |
(b)
WPC Recommendation on Protected Areas: Mining and Energy (Later
Afternoon)
A
draft WPC recommendation on 'Protected
Areas: Mining and Energy' has already been developed.
This is currently on the Congress website for public comments.
The draft will be further discussed in the workshop towards
its adoption in the Workshop
Stream on Linkages in Landscape/Seascape and eventual
consideration in the closing plenary of the Congress. |
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A workshop on Oil and Gas Industry and Financing Protected
Areas |
| Host: The
Workshop Stream on Building
a Secure Financial Future |
| Date
and Time : 12th Sep, 14:00-17:00 |
| Organized By:
Ray Victurine
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| Venue: To
be Determined |
| The
workshop focus will be on leveraging the financial support
of the oil and gas industry for protected areas conservation
in view of the opportunities and constraints faced by it.
Examples from the field will be presented. |
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The Plenary Session on Extractive Industries and Protected
Areas |
| Host:
WPC Plenary |
| Date
and Time : 16th Sep, 09:00-12:00 |
| Organized By:
Mohammad Rafiq |
| Venue: To
be Determined |
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Mr.
Achim Steiner, Director General of IUCN will moderate
a six person panel discussion. The industries and the conservation
community will take stock of the progress, constraints and
concerns regarding the integration of issues of protected
areas and peoples in the operations of the extractive industries,
to inspire ideas and commitments for the future.
- Sir
Robert Wilson, Chairman
of ICMM;
- Mr. Dilip Singh Judev, Minister
of State for Environment, India;
- Ms. Joji Carino, Head, Tebtebba
Foundation, Philippines;
- Mr. Greg Coleman, Group Vice President Health,
Safety and Environment, BP;
- Professor Adrian Philips, Former Chair WCPA, and
- Mr. Adrian Loader, Director Planning,
Strategy and External Affairs of Shell are expected
to be the panel members.
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End Note
The details
of the various events are being further developed as some of the
events are only tentatively planned at this stage. Further details
will be made available as a part of the daily updates during the
Congress. For any changes before the Congress, keep watching the
Congress Website
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PDF
Version - 110KB
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