Mining industry pledges to champion nature positivity by 2030

Leading global mining and metals companies have taken a groundbreaking step towards supporting a nature positive future by 2030. These firms, representing a significant portion of the industry, have committed to urgent action prioritising the health, diversity, and resilience of species, ecosystems, and natural processes.

The International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM) members, acknowledging the critical role of responsibly produced minerals and metals in achieving global sustainable development goals, have pledged to meet the demand for essential materials without compromising nature.

Five-point plan for nature: The commitments, shaped by experts and leaders across various disciplines, outline a comprehensive 5-point plan for nature.

• Protecting pristine areas: No mining or exploration in World Heritage Sites, and respecting all legally designated protected areas.
• Halting biodiversity loss: Achieving at least no net biodiversity loss at all mine sites by closure against a 2020 baseline.
• Collaboration across value chains: Developing initiatives and partnerships to halt and reverse nature loss throughout supply and distribution chains.
• Restoration and enhancement: Collaborating with local partners, including Indigenous Peoples, to restore and enhance landscapes around operations.
• Catalysing broader change: Taking actions to change fundamental systems contributing to nature's loss and fostering opportunities for nature’s recovery.

Transparent disclosures and accountability:

These commitments span all realms of nature – land, freshwater, oceans, and atmosphere – leveraging companies’ influence from direct operations to wider landscapes. They are supported by transparent disclosures on performance outcomes, including nature-related impact assessments and dependency disclosures.

Rohitesh Dhawan, President and CEO of ICMM, announced these commitments at the Nature Positive Initiative event in Davos. Enphasising on the industry's debt to nature, Dhawan highlighted the cornerstone commitment to ensure no net biodiversity loss at mine sites.

ICMM members have already implemented conservation and restoration initiatives. The new commitments aim to drive industry performance, focusing on collaboration across sectors to stop and reverse nature loss.

Industry voices on nature positivity:

The ICMM's Nature Position Statement significantly fosters focus and action for protecting and restoring nature. Industry leaders, including Jakob Stausholm of Rio Tinto and Hilde Merete Aasheim of Hydro, express their commitment to contributing to a nature positive future. They emphasise the importance of sharing knowledge and experiences and addressing global challenges within the industry, underlining the broader scope of green initiatives beyond carbon emissions. The commitment is viewed as a crucial step in addressing common global challenges in the mining and metals sector.

Jonathan Price, President and CEO of Teck Resources Limited and Chair of ICMM’s Council Nature Advisory Group, highlighted their initiatives, including conserving and reclaiming land affected by mining. Marco Lambertini, convenor of the Nature Positive Initiative, welcomed the mining sector's commitment but stressed the need to translate promises into measurable positive outcomes.

These commitments, part of a Position Statement, align with ICMM's commitment to responsible mining and metals, incorporating actions on nature within the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and existing commitments on protected areas, Indigenous Peoples, water, and human rights.

Essentially, the mining industry's pledge to contribute to a nature positive future reflects a crucial step toward ensuring a sustainable and responsible approach to mining and metals.