GUÍA PARA LOS GOBIERNOS: MEJORAR LOS MARCOS LEGALES PARA LA EVALUACIÓN Y GESTIÓN DE LOS IMPACTOS AMBIENTALES Y SOCIALES

This guide, published by the International Institute for Sustainable Development in 2020, provides a framework for governments to improve legal structures for Environmental and Social Impact Assessments (ESIA) and management plans in the large-scale mining sector. It outlines 20 essential components of a comprehensive legal framework and details government responsibilities across the entire mine life cycle, from exploration to post-closure transition.

• The guide identifies 20 essential components for a comprehensive legal framework to ensure environmental protection and sustainable development in mining. These include a commitment to sustainable development, consistency across legal instruments, clear identification of responsible authorities, and the requirement of social and environmental standards for all mine life phases proportional to risk.
• A robust legal framework must mandate public participation, transparency, and grievance mechanisms throughout the entire life of the mine. This includes establishing guidelines for access to social and environmental information and ensuring constant public engagement.
• The guide specifies strict requirements for the ESIA process, stating that it must be part of project planning and completed before any approval decision for large-scale mining projects. It also emphasizes the need for screening procedures to determine when a full ESIA is required and the establishment of a reasonable review timeline.
• Governments are advised to require Environmental and Social Management Plans (ESMP) and preliminary mine closure plans during the review process. Crucially, the legal framework must mandate adequate financial guarantees for mine rehabilitation and closure, which the license holder must maintain.
• Effective governance requires continuous monitoring, inspections, and enforcement during the construction and operation phases. Sanctions for non-compliance should be proportional to the infraction, and existing permit conditions must be met before any renewal or approval of large-scale mine development.
• The guide emphasizes that mine closure planning must address both environmental and socioeconomic issues of the post-mining transition. Governments should periodically review closure plans and establish clear conditions for 'exit tickets,' relinquishment of title, and the management of residual risks.
• To improve legal frameworks in practice, the guide recommends conducting a 'gap analysis' against international best practices. It suggests a reform process involving inter-institutional working groups, the development of a framework to fill identified gaps, and a continuous system for managing change and auditing effectiveness.

APA

International Institute for Sustainable Development (2020). GUÍA PARA LOS GOBIERNOS: MEJORAR LOS MARCOS LEGALES PARA LA EVALUACIÓN Y GESTIÓN DE LOS IMPACTOS AMBIENTALES Y SOCIALES. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2020-08/igf-esia-summary-es.pdf

Chicago

International Institute for Sustainable Development. GUÍA PARA LOS GOBIERNOS: MEJORAR LOS MARCOS LEGALES PARA LA EVALUACIÓN Y GESTIÓN DE LOS IMPACTOS AMBIENTALES Y SOCIALES. 2020. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2020-08/igf-esia-summary-es.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=International Institute for Sustainable Development |title=GUÍA PARA LOS GOBIERNOS: MEJORAR LOS MARCOS LEGALES PARA LA EVALUACIÓN Y GESTIÓN DE LOS IMPACTOS AMBIENTALES Y SOCIALES |date=2020 |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2020-08/igf-esia-summary-es.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{internationalinstituteforsustainabledevelopment2020gua, author = {{International Institute for Sustainable Development}}, title = {{GUÍA PARA LOS GOBIERNOS: MEJORAR LOS MARCOS LEGALES PARA LA EVALUACIÓN Y GESTIÓN DE LOS IMPACTOS AMBIENTALES Y SOCIALES}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2020}, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2020-08/igf-esia-summary-es.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }