Mapping Mining to the Sustainable Development Goals: An Atlas

The report argues that the mining industry has the potential to positively contribute to all 17 SDGs, though it historically contributed to many of the challenges the goals aim to address. It provides a detailed atlas for mining companies to align their operations with goals related to environmental sustainability, social inclusion, and economic development. The document emphasizes that achieving these goals requires a multistakeholder approach involving governments, companies, civil society, and development partners, moving beyond philanthropy toward integrating sustainability into core business processes.

• The mining industry has the capacity to positively impact all 17 Sustainable Development Goals, although it has historically contributed to problems such as environmental degradation, population displacement, and human rights violations.
• Mining companies can contribute to poverty eradication (SDG1) by paying fair taxes and royalties, promoting inclusive employment, and implementing early planning for land access and livelihood restoration.
• To support Zero Hunger (SDG2), mining companies can manage their impacts on natural resources, design infrastructure with shared benefits for agriculture, and provide essential agrominerals like fertilizers and micronutrients.
• Mining operations pose specific health risks (SDG3) including occupational hazards, respiratory diseases from silica dust, and mental health challenges due to 'split-lifestyles' from fly-in/fly-out work schedules.
• Gender inequality (SDG5) persists in the industry, with women making up only 5-10% of the global workforce as of 2014, and facing significant pay gaps, particularly at higher seniority levels.
• Water management (SDG6) is identified as the top environmental impact for the industry; companies can contribute by recycling water, implementing catchment-based management, and sharing infrastructure with local communities.
• Mining companies can advance affordable and clean energy (SDG7) by adopting renewable energy sources like solar, wind, and geothermal to replace diesel generators in remote areas.
• Economic growth (SDG8) can be maximized through local procurement and supplier development strategies, which create larger economic multipliers than direct employment alone.
• Infrastructure development (SDG9) can be optimized through 'shared use' arrangements where mining companies and governments share funding and usage rights for transport, energy, and ICT networks.
• Climate action (SDG13) requires mining companies to reduce their carbon footprints, support global carbon pricing, and transition away from coal-powered electricity.
• Biodiversity conservation (SDG15) can be achieved by applying the mitigation hierarchy (avoid, minimize, restore, enhance, and offset) and implementing biodiversity offsets to ensure no net loss of ecosystem services.
• Promoting peace and strong institutions (SDG16) involves combating illicit financial flows through transparency, respecting Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) for indigenous peoples, and conducting Human Rights Impact Assessments (HRIAs).

APA

World Economic Forum (2016). Mapping Mining to the Sustainable Development Goals: An Atlas. http://www3.weforum.org/docs/IP/2016/IU/Mapping_Mining_SDGs_An_Atlas.pdf

Chicago

World Economic Forum. Mapping Mining to the Sustainable Development Goals: An Atlas. 2016. http://www3.weforum.org/docs/IP/2016/IU/Mapping_Mining_SDGs_An_Atlas.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=World Economic Forum |title=Mapping Mining to the Sustainable Development Goals: An Atlas |date=July 2016 |url=http://www3.weforum.org/docs/IP/2016/IU/Mapping_Mining_SDGs_An_Atlas.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{worldeconomicforum2016mapping, author = {{World Economic Forum}}, title = {{Mapping Mining to the Sustainable Development Goals: An Atlas}}, institution = {World Economic Forum}, year = {2016}, month = jul, url = {http://www3.weforum.org/docs/IP/2016/IU/Mapping_Mining_SDGs_An_Atlas.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }