• Environmental stewardship

Biodiversity and ecosystems

Biodiversity and ecosystems provide us with life’s essentials (eg nutrients for growing crops, resources such as water and timber, and the ability to absorb waste and carbon dioxide). They also have intangible benefits, eg they may have cultural value or provide space for recreational pursuits.

While metal and mineral production helps to promote social progress, the associated use of land and water resources, and the emissions and waste produced, pose a risk to biodiversity and the ecological resources we depend on and value. ICMM members recognise that they have an important role to play in conserving biodiversity. They commit not to mine in World Heritage Sites and to respect legally protected areas. They also commit to assess risks and impacts to biodiversity and address these by applying the mitigation hierarchy, with the ambition of no net loss.