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EGP Newsletter

Newsletter from the Environmental Governance Programme (EGP) for Sustainable Natural Resource Management

By Environmental Governance Programme (EGP)

March 1^st, 2021

EGP is a joint initiative of the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The EGP supports countries to integrate environment and human rights into the governance of the mining sector.

CONTENTS

Stories from the Field: Environmental and Extractives Governance in Ecuador and Peru
EGP at the Second Global Gender Oil, Gas and Mining Conference (March 3-4, 2021)
2021 Edition of the Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) on Gender in Mining Governance
2021 EGP Learning Hub: Cross-Country Sharing and Learning
Young Environmental Journalists Promote Mining Governance and the SDGs
IGF Gender Resources: Intergovernmental Forum on Mining, Minerals, Metals, and Sustainable Development
Responsible Mining Foundation: “Time to Normalize Respect and Remedy for Human Rights in Mining”
EGP Publication Spotlight: Global Guide on Extracting Good Practices

Stories from the Field

Ecuador: Municipalities of Otavalo and Playas Promote Responsible Management of Aggregates and Stones

Since 2020, the Decentralized Autonomous Governments (DAGs) of the Municipalities of Playas and Otavalo in Ecuador have received EGP's technical assistance to improve their granting concessions systems regulating the exploitation of aggregates and stones materials. These construction materials are extracted from riverbeds, lakes, seashores, mines, and quarries. Their demand has been rising significantly, fueled by a growing global middle class.

To date, only 20 percent of DAGs in Ecuador have issued proper regulations for the granting of mining rights. There are no clear guidelines that articulate implementation and maintenance of relevant environmental and social policies established at the national level. This deficiency, which the EGP programme seeks to address, has limited the development of control processes in the mining sector.

Learn More:

Peru: New UNDP Study in Peru Highlights Cooperation with Indigenous Peoples on Environmental Governance

On February 17, 2021, UNDP Peru presented a new study on the implementation of EGP's joint work with the Indigenous Territorial Surveillance Programme (PVTI) in Loreto and the Huarmey Environmental Monitoring, Vigilance and Enforcement Committee in Ancash, focusing on environmental governance of the country’s Indigenous Territorial Surveillance Program. The study was presented at a virtual forum aiming to promote the importance of environmental monitoring and surveillance, convened by the Commission on Andean, Amazonian and Afro-Peruvian Peoples, Environment and Ecology.

Learn More:

Read the News Article by UNDP Peru in English and Spanish.
Download the Summary of the Study on the Indigenous Territorial Surveillance Programme
Learn more about EGP's Participatory Environmental Monitoring Work

EGP Newsletter

EGP at the Second Global Gender Oil, Gas and Mining Conference (March 3-4, 2021)

The EGP and UNDP Peru will share lessons on “Closing Gender Gaps in Practice” and deliver a presentation on participatory environmental monitoring in Peru during the Second Global Gender Oil, Gas and Mining Conference on March 3-4, 2021.

The virtual event, organized by the World Bank’s Extractives Global Programmatic Support (EGPS) Trust Fund and the Inter-American Development Bank, will explore gender equality in the oil, gas and mining sectors.

The EGP is hosting a Virtual Booth at the event on Voice and Agency, featuring discussions with the facilitators of the MOOC on Gender in Mining Governance (12:00-12:45 EST on March 3); and with conflict and environmental governance expert Nancy Bahomande Quinteros (11:10-11:55 EST on March 4). The virtual booth will feature video testimonials and learning resources from the EGP and IGF.

Register here

Photo credits: iStock.com/RuslanDashinsky

2021 Edition of the Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) on Gender in Mining Governance

Completed by more than 700 participants in 2020 and 2021, the MOOC brought together decision makers from resource-rich countries, including the EGP countries of Argentina, Colombia, Ecuador, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Liberia, Namibia, Mongolia, Peru and Zambia, along with a diverse mix of mining governance experts and environmental and human rights defenders.

Organized in partnership with the IGF and UNDP's Learning for Nature Programme, this year's edition of the MOOC will take place from September 13 to October 10. The course will be offered in English, Spanish and French.

The 2021 MOOC course will cover the following topics:

Introduction to Gender and Mining Governance
Women’s Participation in Decision-Making in the Mining Sector
Gender-Based Violence in the Mining Sector
Investment in Gender in Mining Governance

REGISTER HERE FOR THE 2021 MOOC

2021 EGP Learning Hub: Cross-Country Sharing and Learning

The EGP Learning Hub in November 2020 facilitated cross-country learning, co-creation and systems-based reflections on implementation outcomes, success and challenges ahead.

The EGP global team, programme countries, implementing partners, UNDP and the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency will arrange a new Learning Hub event in April 2021. The event is expected to gather country focal points and EGP’s global management. A larger Learning Hub event for all EGP country implementing teams is planned for November 2021.

Learn more:

Illustration by Caroline Sellstone/Sellstone.se

Young Environmental Journalists Promote Mining Governance and the SDGs

More than 90 young journalists, students, and environmental and human rights defenders participated in the Young Environmental Journalists Network online training programme from September 2020 to February 2021, aiming to promote mining governance, human rights and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The programme was facilitated by the EGP in partnership with the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) and the UN Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR).

The initiative supports young journalists (18-31) to publish inspiring stories of change in the international press as well as advocacy initiatives in Colombia, Kenya, Mongolia and Mozambique.

IGF Gender Resources: Intergovernmental Forum on Mining, Minerals, Metals, and Sustainable Development

The Intergovernmental Forum on Mining, Minerals, Metals and Sustainable Development (IGF) has published a number of Gender Resources which can be accessed on the links below. IGF is a voluntary initiative supporting more than 75 nations committed to leveraging mining for sustainable development to ensure negative impacts are limited and financial benefits are shared.

Learn More:

Credits: iStock.com/Visual Generation

Responsible Mining Foundation: “Time to Normalize Respect and Remedy for Human Rights in Mining”

The Responsible Mining Foundation (RMF) highlights how mining activities can impinge on human rights issues in the newly published report “Time to normalize respect and remedy for Human Rights in mining” (February 2021). The document highlights that ten years after the adoption of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs), large mining companies assessed a low score on human rights-related issues.

It is time for mining companies to embrace the principles of respect and remedy for human rights in the mining industry to achieve the SDGs, writes RMF.

Learn More:

Download the report by the Responsible Mining Foundation

Photo credits: iStock.com/yoh4nn

EGP Publication in the Spotlight: Global Guide on Extracting Good Practices

UNDP and the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency have developed the guide “Extracting Good Practices: A Guide for Governments and Partners to Integrate Environment and Human Rights into the Governance of the Mining Sector” (October 2018) to support governments and other stakeholders to better manage the environmental and social aspects of mining.

Learn More:

Download the executive summary in English, Spanish, Mongolian and Portuguese.
Download the full report in English.

Extracting Good Practices: A Guide for Governments and Partners to Integrate Environment and Human Rights into the Governance of the Mining Sector

Environmental Governance Programme (EGP)

CONTACT.EGP@UNDP.ORG

WWW.ENVIRONMENTALGOVERNANCEPROGRAMME.ORG

Footnotes

Cover photo credits: iStock.com/gustavofrazao

FootNotes

Cover photo credits: iStock.com/gustavofrazao

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