The seminar on mine tailings safety in the UNECE region and beyond took place as an online event on 1 December 2020 from 9:30 – 12:30 CET, with English and Russian interpretation, via the web conferencing platform “KUDO”. Only registered participants can join the meeting. Please register for the event here: https://indico.un.org/event/35252 before 30 November 2020.
The seminar is organized as an accompanying event of the eleventh meeting of the Conference of the Parties of the UNECE Convention on the Transboundary Effects of Industrial Accidents (COP-11, Geneva and online, 7-9 December 2020).This online seminar aims to strengthen mine tailings safety and provide support to countries in the implementation of the UNECE Industrial Accidents Convention, by increasing awareness of the Convention’s role and collecting input for its future work on mine tailings. It aims to build on the global debate on mineral resource governance and sustainable infrastructure, focusing on support for operational and implementation activities as well as legal instruments and existing tools and guidance.
The seminar will offer a platform to the Parties to the Convention and other stakeholders to discuss actions to take by the Parties to the Convention, beneficiaries of its Assistance and Cooperation Programme, and other interested countries, aiming to strengthen tailings safety. Participants are encouraged to consult the following documents in advance of the seminar.
- Draft decision: In view of the envisaged adoption of a draft decision on strengthening mine tailings safety in the UNECE region and beyond (updated draft decision for the session ECE/CP.TEIA/2020/L.1 based on the original draft ECE/CP.TEIA/2020/3, in ENG and RU) by CoP-11 all Parties non-Parties and partners are encouraged to participate in the seminar. The seminar will also provide an opportunity to discuss the actions proposed in the updated draft decision.
- Background document: More background information on the safe management of mine tailings and the reasoning for the draft Decision can be found in the background document here in ENG and RU (ECE/CP.TEIA/2020/2). Participants are encouraged to consult the above documents in advance of the seminar.
A flyer of the event containing further background and the seminar programme is available in English here and in Russian here.
More information about CoP-11, including its agenda and all official documents, is available on the CoP-11 webpage.
Presentations
Moderation by Ms. Torill Tandberg, Norway, Chairperson of the Industrial Accidents Convention and Mr. Michael Struckl, Austria, Vice-Chairperson of the Industrial Accidents Convention.
A recording of the seminar is available here.
Session 1: Setting the scene in the area of mine tailing safety at the UNECE and at the global level
- Keynote address: Mr. Antonio Pedro, Expert member of the International Resource Panel (IRP): A perspective on mineral demand, resource use, mine tailings safety and sustainable development – Outlook and impact for UNECE countries
- Mr. Jan Kosmol, Federal Environment Agency, Germany (tbc): Projected trends and needs for Mineral Resources in the light of Sustainability Transformations
- Ms. Martine Rohn-Brossard, Deputy Head of International Affairs Division, Swiss Federal Office for the Environment, Switzerland: Recent developments on mineral resource governance at the global level: towards the 5th UN Environment Assembly
- UNECE secretariat: Animated video on mine tailings safety
Session 2: Experiences and lessons learned from the application of the safety guidelines and methodologies for improving tailings safety in UNECE countries
- Ms. Claudia Kamke, Environmental Affairs Offices, UNECE: Experience with the UNECE Safety Guidelines, TMF methodology and transboundary cooperation in Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and beyond in Central-Asia
- Mr. Gerhard Winkelmann-Oei, Co-Chair of the Joint Expert Group on Water and Industrial Accidents: Prevention of accidental pollution from mine tailings
- Mr. Adam Kovacs, International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River (ICPDR): The application of the UNECE Safety Guidelines and a related TMF methodology in Danube region
Session 3: Experiences, lessons learned and proposed actions for safe management of mine tailings from stakeholders and countries in and beyond the UNECE region
- Mr. B. Otgonbayar, Senior Officer, Technics and Technology Division, Mining Policy Department, Ministry of Mining and Heavy Industry of Mongolia: Adapting mining policies to address future challenges
- Ms. Diane Tang-Lee, International Council on Mining and Metals: The Global Tailings Review, the Global Industry Standard for Tailings Management and follow up actions to support implementation
- Mr. Guy Halpern, Policy Analyst, Green Growth and Global Relations Division, OECD: Addressing the challenge of orphaned mine sites through a Green Growth lens
- Mr. Pierre de Pasquale, Head of Stakeholder Engagement, Responsible Mining Foundation (RMI): Tailings Risk Management: Time for strong decisions and real leadership
- Intervention by Ms. Tamara Kutonova, GEF Dniester Project Regional Coordinator, OSCE: Tailings Storage Facilities in Ukraine
Session 4: Proposed actions to strengthen mine tailings safety in the UNECE region and beyond by the Industrial Accidents Convention
- Mr. Max Linsen, Consultant, UNECE: Draft decision on strengthening mine tailings safety in the UNECE region and beyond
Seminar conclusions
- Ms. Torill Tandberg, Norway, Chairperson of the Industrial Accidents Convention: Strengthening mine tailings safety in the UNECE region and beyond – seminar conclusions