2021 Annual Report

Environmental Governance Programme (EGP)

By Environmental Governance Programme (EGP)

The joint Swedish Environmental Protection Agency - UNDP Environmental Governance Programme (EGP) supports 10 resource-rich countries to integrate human rights and the environment into the governance of the mining sector.

With EGP's support, Colombia, Liberia, Namibia, Mongolia and Zambia have improved laws, policies and regulations for a rights-based governance of the mining sector. The EGP works with Ecuador, Kenya, Liberia, Mongolia, Peru and Zambia to develop multi-stakeholder platforms for the mining sector that include local communities and human rights institutions.

Argentina, Colombia, Kyrgyzstan, Peru and Mongolia have improved mechanisms to support access to environmental information and meaningful participation in decision-making, including community-led monitoring programmes. Mongolia has new initiatives that strengthen private sector due diligence, including six new companies adopting the Responsible Mining Voluntary Code.

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Read Key Sections:

Executive Summary

Key Results

Country Results

Global Results

Adaptation to COVID-19 Context

Partnerships

ARGENTINA: Environmental monitors supported by the EGP are monitoring environmental impacts caused by lithium mining in Sales de Jujuy in the Province of Jujuy, northern Argentina. Photo credits: Secretariat of Indigenous Peoples, Province of Jujuy.

COLOMBIA: Women participating in the Agrobiodiversity Community Stores Initiative in the municipality of Suaréz, Department of Cauca. Photo credits: UNDP Colombia/ Karen Alvarez.

ECUADOR: Strengthening governance processes in the artisanal and small-scale gold mining sector. Photo: UNDP Ecuador.

LIBERIA: Developing capacities of small-scale miners and host communities on relevant enforceable regulations in Tubmanburg, capital of Bomi county. Photo credits: UNDP Liberia.

PERU: PEM committees in the regions of Loreto and Ancash have improved mechanisms to support access to environmental information and meaningful participation in decision-making. Photo: UNDP Peru.

MONGOLIA: Field monitoring of mining sites by the new PEM team of Bayanjargalan soum, Tov province. Photo: UNDP Mongolia.

PERU: Environmental monitors from four indigenous federations of the Department of Loreto learned how to use new Participatory Environmental Monitoring (PEM) tools and instruments. Photo: UNDP Peru.

Testimonials:

"The EGP has provided customized and useful tools that can help the Ministry in getting miners to understand their obligations and responsibilities according to the laws of Liberia. Miners can now become environmental stewards." - Johnson Willabo, Assistant Minister for Planning, Ministry of Mines and Energy, Liberia [Press Release] .

"The EGP’s work has resulted in miners and their associations gaining knowledge of the Kenya Mining Act’s provisions. They can now engage with duty bearers more constructively and do not have to work in fear due to limited knowledge of local law. With time, miners have become increasingly aware and knowledgeable of the AMCs as well as other legal frameworks governing their operations." - Timothy S. Mukoshi, ASM miner in Kakamega County, Kenya [Story].

"The EGP helped us learn about women’s participation in environmental monitoring activities. We also learned how indigenous federations and women can be included in PEM policies and regulations." - Nicacio Patiño, legal specialist at Peru's Agency for Environmental Assessment and Enforcement (OEFA) in Cotabambas, Apurímac [Press Release].

"I now have a better understanding of the role women play in mining, the benefit of women taking part in the mining sector, and the roles governments, NGOs and mining companies have in protecting women." - Carmen Elliott, National Institute for Environment and Development, Suriname [Course Report].

Country Highlights:

Global Results:

The programme actively influenced and informed major forums and policy debates on gender and mining governance, the Right to a Healthy Environment, and the Escazú Agreement.
Working with United Nations Volunteers (UNV) and a number of Swedish partners, the EGP offered online-based platforms for advocacy and awareness-raising for 100 Young Environmental Journalists in programme countries.
The EGP developed programme-wide communities of practice on ASM and PEM in 2021. The programme took further steps towards implementing the new Learning Ecosystem kicked off in 2020 to help country teams, partners and key stakeholders to capture and share learning from EGP implementation. This included the 300 mining governance stakeholders from all programme countries who participated in EGP Learning Hub workshops, the more than 1,700 participants from 133 countries who participated in the global massive online open course on gender equality in mining, and the 100 young journalists and environmental and human rights defenders from 27 resource-rich countries who developed their storytelling capacity.