Evaluación Ambiental Estratégica para el Sector Minero

This report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) promotes the use of Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) in the mining sector to enhance sustainable development. It distinguishes SEA from project-level Environmental and Social Impact Assessments (ESIA), highlighting how SEA integrates environmental, social, and economic considerations into high-level plans, policies, and programs (PPPs). Through international case studies, the document outlines the benefits of SEA for governments, companies, and communities, identifies common implementation obstacles, and provides recommendations for integrating SEA into national and regional mining planning, particularly for critical minerals.

• Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) differs from Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) by focusing on a broad, long-term perspective applied to plans, policies, and programs (PPPs) rather than specific project specifications. While ESIA is typically a linear process managed by a project proponent to mitigate impacts, SEA is an iterative process managed by public bodies to balance environmental, social, and economic objectives.
• SEA provides specific advantages for different stakeholders in the mining sector: governments can better balance competing interests and improve biodiversity governance; mining companies can identify optimal investment areas to avoid costly errors like water scarcity; and local communities can ensure that mining contributes to regional development while protecting vulnerable groups and ecosystem services.
• In Namibia, an SEA for the uranium sector led to a 2007 moratorium on new exclusive prospecting licenses until the assessment was complete. This resulted in mining companies jointly developing infrastructure, such as power lines, roads, pipelines, and a seawater desalination plant, which optimized resource use and reduced costs for individual project-level ESIAs.
• Ghana's mining sector SEA contributed to the adoption of the 2014 mining and minerals policy and improved the permitting process for Artisanal and Small-scale Mining (ASM). Specifically, it led to the creation of more district and satellite offices to regulate the mineral resources sector more effectively at the local level.
• In Romania, an SEA focused on the environmentally sustainable closure of selected mines. This process resulted in new legislation regarding dam safety and the recovery of eight tailings dams, which reduced the risk of dam failures and their associated environmental and social consequences.
• In Mozambique, an SEA for the Lower Zambezi Valley (conducted between 2011 and 2016) integrated environmental and social aspects into a multisectoral plan and land-use planning. The results informed local and regional climate adaptation plans and helped determine resettlement areas for families affected by Cyclone Kenneth in 2016.
• The 'Ring of Fire' case in Ontario, Canada, illustrates the risks of failing to include indigenous groups in the SEA process. Initial Terms of Reference developed in 2020 without proper participation led First Nations to request their rejection. In 2023, the federal environment minister agreed to restart the process through the joint development of new Terms of Reference with First Nations as equal partners.
• Common obstacles to SEA implementation include limited institutional capacity, lack of political will, difficulty accessing reliable environmental data, and a lack of awareness among stakeholders. Success factors identified across cases include trust and collaboration between government agencies and broad stakeholder participation.

APA

International Institute for Sustainable Development (2024). Evaluación Ambiental Estratégica para el Sector Minero. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2024-07/igf-strategic-environmental-assessment-mining-es.pdf

Chicago

International Institute for Sustainable Development. Evaluación Ambiental Estratégica para el Sector Minero. 2024. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2024-07/igf-strategic-environmental-assessment-mining-es.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=International Institute for Sustainable Development |title=Evaluación Ambiental Estratégica para el Sector Minero |date=2024 |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2024-07/igf-strategic-environmental-assessment-mining-es.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{internationalinstituteforsustainabledevelopment2024evaluacin, author = {{International Institute for Sustainable Development}}, title = {{Evaluación Ambiental Estratégica para el Sector Minero}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2024}, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2024-07/igf-strategic-environmental-assessment-mining-es.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }