État actuel de la préparation à la fermeture des mines : Les gouvernements sont-ils prêts ?

This briefing, published by the International Institute for Sustainable Development in August 2021, evaluates the readiness of governments to manage mine closures and the transition to post-mining land use. Based on a survey of 17 Intergovernmental Forum on Mining, Minerals, Metals and Sustainable Development (IGF) members and 14 Mining Policy Framework (MPF) assessments across 30 countries, the document finds that while awareness is high, many governments lack the necessary policies, financial guarantees, and technical capacities to effectively manage the hundreds of medium- and large-scale mines expected to close over the next 20 years.

• While 76% of analyzed jurisdictions have a formal legal obligation for mining companies to submit closure plans, the quality and oversight of these plans are often insufficient. Some countries accept generic, brief plans that are reviewed by staff with limited experience in environmental or social management, and some provide no guidance on required content or review processes.
• Financial assurance is a significant gap; although 86% of jurisdictions require some form of financial guarantee, only 45% require the total estimated closure costs to be guaranteed. This leaves governments exposed to financial, social, and environmental risks if operators fail to complete closures, and there is no strong correlation between a country's Human Development Index (HDI) and the strength of its financial assurance policies.
• Community participation in mine closure planning is inconsistent. While 23% of jurisdictions show high levels of participation and 40% show relatively high levels, 37% report no community participation at all. Additionally, 41% of jurisdictions lack legislation or policies to address the social transition and community impacts of mine closures.
• There is a critical lack of record-keeping regarding closed mines. 75% of surveyed jurisdictions do not have adequate records of mines that have closed and surrendered their concessions, and over 50% of jurisdictions lack registries of closed or abandoned mines, leading to a loss of institutional knowledge and learning opportunities.
• Governments face systemic challenges in mine closure readiness, primarily driven by a lack of human and financial resources and a shortage of national or international experience. Other obstacles include outdated regulations, a lack of clear processes for the final return of land to the government or owners, and limited use of existing international standards.
• Only 38% of the studied countries have legislation addressing long-term or residual risks associated with closed mines, and only 38% specify that financial guarantees cover these residual risks, which may reduce corporate incentives to invest in high-quality closure planning.

APA

International Institute for Sustainable Development (n.d.). État actuel de la préparation à la fermeture des mines : Les gouvernements sont-ils prêts ? https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2021-08/status-mine-closure-readiness-fr.pdf

Chicago

International Institute for Sustainable Development. État actuel de la préparation à la fermeture des mines : Les gouvernements sont-ils prêts ? n.d. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2021-08/status-mine-closure-readiness-fr.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=International Institute for Sustainable Development |title=État actuel de la préparation à la fermeture des mines : Les gouvernements sont-ils prêts ? |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2021-08/status-mine-closure-readiness-fr.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{internationalinstituteforsustainabledevelopmentndtat, author = {{International Institute for Sustainable Development}}, title = {{État actuel de la préparation à la fermeture des mines : Les gouvernements sont-ils prêts ?}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2021-08/status-mine-closure-readiness-fr.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }