Workshop NEEI & Natura 2000 1 17 September 2008 Technical Workshop on NEEI and Natura 2000 Assessment and Design of Activities to Minimise Impacts on Biodiversity

Workshop NEEI & Natura 2000

117 September 2008

Technical Workshop on NEEI and Natura 2000

Assessment and Design of Activities to Minimise Impacts on

Biodiversity

Presentation on behalf of IMA-Europe by Eric Turner, Rio Tinto Minerals


217 September 2008

1. Public Sector work flows/process maps


317 September 2008

High Level Framework

Policy Planning law

• Strategic supply

• Jobs/value creation

• Know how maintenance

NEEI development is vital in the EU for:

Minerals development has a comparable status to other land uses

NEEI development may, under certain circumstances be permitted within N2K sites

Articulation and communication of the high level position


417 September 2008

Commission / Member State Workflows

Strategic Environmental AssessmentStrategic Environmental Assessment

Minerals Planning Minerals Planning

FrameworkFramework

Natura 2000 Habitat Data

Geological Survey Data

Mineral Maps

NK2 Maps

EU-25 Map

COMMISSION/MEMBER COMMISSION/MEMBER STATE WORKFLOWSSTATE WORKFLOWS


517 September 2008

2. NEEI Enterprises


617 September 2008

• The Guidance document could put forward the approach of a mix of regulatory and voluntary measures

• These measures should be constructed around the full Sustainable Development agenda, obviously including, but not limited to, habitat and species conservation.

NEEI Entreprises

There could well be aspects and arguments from a holistic SD perspective which favour NEEI development in an N2K site.


717 September 2008

The NEEI Objective

Net Positive Local Net Positive Local Social EffectSocial Effect

Net Positive Net Positive Biodiversity EffectBiodiversity Effect

Net Positive Net Positive Carbon Capture Carbon Capture

EffectEffect

ENVIRONMENT MANAGEMENT COMPLIANCE

THE NEEI OBJECTIVETHE NEEI OBJECTIVE(a proposal for consideration)

SEASEA SEASEA

EIAEIA AAAASASA

(A proposal for consideration)


817 September 2008

3. Net Positive Biodiversity Effect


917 September 2008

• Make a prediction of the negative biodiversity impact that could arise from the development

• Assess how this may be reduced through a) avoidance, b) Mitigation and c) rehabilitation/natural recolonisation

• Assess what the residual negative impact is by summing a, b and c

• Create offsets, conservation actions to more than compensate for the residual negative impact resulting in a net positive effect.

The work is carried out by a mixture of in-house experts and external experts with specifically relevant knowledge, some of whom would be local.

Rio Tinto voluntary commitment for net positive effect on biodiversity


1017 September 2008


BIODIVERSITY VALUES

+

-

-

Avoidance Avoidance Avoidance

Minimisation Minimisation Minimisation Minimisation

Avoidance Avoidance

Rehabilita-tion

Rehabilita-tion

Rehabilita-tion

B1B1B1B1

Offset Offset

ACA*

Improvement in Practice

Net positive impact

Residual impact

* Additional Conservation Actions


1117 September 2008

• Specific tools are needed and should be developed, such as:

• The work itself is carried out by a mixture of in-house experts and external experts with specifically relevant knowledge, some of whom would be local.


- protocols for establishing significant biodiversity values

- methodology for agreeing type and nature of offsets

- biodiversity action plans


1217 September 2008

4. Evolution of Assessment Tools


1317 September 2008

Characteristics of Impact Assessment Approaches

EIA SEA SIA

Subject of assessment

Projects with potentially significant environmental impacts

Plans and programmes (sometimes policies) with potentially significant environmental impacts

Strategies, policies, plans, programmes and projects with potentially significant SD impacts

Frame of reference

Environmental policy Environmental policy NSDSs and/or SD policy frameworks

Scope of assessment

Environmental aspects Environmental aspects, sometimes referring to socioeconomic aspects

SD issues (economic, social and environmental), policy integration as focus

Implementation by governments

Established in a majority of national and regional governments

Established in an increasing number of national and regional governments

Introduced on the EU level and in few European countries, mostly on an experimental basis

It is proposed here that the AA be viewed in the light of the wider SEA and SA, in order to understand the full range of implications of NEEI development in N2K sites.


1417 September 2008

5. NEEI in the EUCase studies


1517 September 2008

• Environment: steep hill woodland, with numerous fast-flowing, small rivers

• No ore processing takes place at the mine site.

Minimal environmental disturbance or damage • In 2001 the ore deposit approached exhaustion. Consultations

began with the authorities and local interested parties to close this mine and establish a new similar one nearby.

Case 1: Leucophyllite Underground mine

Kleinfeistritz, Austria

By being open and transparent with stakeholders, including employees the closure of the old mine and the development and opening of the new one proceeded in a smooth way and with no disruption in output to customers.


1617 September 2008

Before

After

These photos show the creation of the surface infrastructure from the initial logging of the trees to the vegetation of the small land buffer around the site.

Case 1: Leucophyllite Underground mine

Kleinfeistritz, Austria


1717 September 2008

A 35 ha N2K site is shown close to the workings. Between is a 35 ha zone managed by Natagora, a recognised organisation for the management of natural habitat.

Case 2: Leffe open-cast workings of Gralex Belgium


1817 September 2008

• Extensive area, over 60 km2 (6000 ha) of previous and current mineral extraction

• large-scale active mineral extraction is taking place right next to previous workings which have been restored

• the continuing NEEI activity is contributing to expansion of one of the habitats most under threat that is wetlands, vital to many species of bird.

• This Action Plan was developed with wide consultation and participation of stakeholders.

• Key habitat facts:

Case 3: Cotswold Water Park, UK

- important site for wintering wildfowl- important for breeding birds - Up to 200 species of bird visit each year- Regionally important dragonfly population


1917 September 2008

Aerial view of the Costwold Water Park with the active workings on the right hand side

Case 3: Cotswold Water Park, UK


2017 September 2008

• 100 years of production• Neighbouring land has been strongly developed for

agriculture

species diversity declined greatly due to monoculture cash crops together with fertiliser and pesticide use.

• Closure preparation began 2 years prior to the actual closure date and during that time the company worked with all affected parties to achieve satisfactory outcomes in each of the 3 pillars of SD.

Case 4: Azemuth talc mining rural Bavaria, Germany

- alternative employment

- alternative sources of talc supply

- site was the subject of an environmental master plan


2117 September 2008


Before

After

The site is managed as a nature park and academic studies are being undertaken to monitor biodiversity developments


2217 September 2008


Before

After

All the mine buildings have been demolished, the concrete surfacing removed and the soil and vegetation re-established.


2317 September 2008

5. Integrating Biodiversity into the Mining Project Cycle


2417 September 2008

Integrating Biodiversity into the Mining Project CycleINTEGRATING BIODIVERSITY INTO THE INTEGRATING BIODIVERSITY INTO THE

MINING PROJECT CYCLEMINING PROJECT CYCLE

System tools & processes can applyAt any stage of the project cycle

Source: ICMM – Good Practice Guidance for Mining and Biodiversity


2517 September 2008

Five steps to harmony

A. Design for closure

B. Understanding the baseline

C. Plan the extraction around specific biodiversity outcomes

D. Consider Climate Change

E. Build confidence by volunteering to go beyond the bare minimum and working in partnership

Documents

Workshop NEEI & Natura 2000 1 17 September 2008 Technical Workshop on NEEI and Natura 2000 Assessment and Design of Activities to Minimise Impacts on Biodiversity