Section 1: environmental management, legal and policy issues in the mining industry

摘要

It is accepted that mining practices will remain for as long as there are minerals available for extraction. It is also an accepted tenet of customary international environmental law that States have the sovereign right to exploit their own natural resources. This right is tempered, however, by the obligation neither to cause environmental harm to other states nor to adversely affect the global commons. If managed sustainably, mining activities can contribute vastly to the world economy, the wealth of individual nations and the livelihoods of many communities. Hence, the key to successful mining operations that contribute significantly to job creation and economic advancement is 'sustainable development'.