The initiative takes a comprehensive approach to strategically address the complexities of mining regions, focusing on economic, social, and environmental dimensions. Regarding economic wellbeing, the initiative promotes strategies for resilience in mining regions through diversification, entrepreneurship, and value-added activities, while addressing skills matching. Socially, it focuses on strategies for improved opportunities for women and youth in the mining value chain, stronger benefit-sharing agreements, and partnerships for community infrastructure, including housing and public services. Regarding the environment, there is an emphasis on practices to enhance the role of regions in the green transition and circular economy practices in mining as well as environmental protection and monitoring.
Mining regions and cities
The OECD Mining Regions and Cities Initiative is a platform for sharing good practices and policy advice to improve the economic, social, and environmental well-being of regions specialised in mining activities. The initiative produces tailored case studies, a statistical toolbox to benchmark actions across regions, and global events. It aims to foster partnerships across governments, the private sector, civil society, and Indigenous communities.
Key messages
The global transition to a net-zero economy by 2050 requires a substantial increase in the supply of critical minerals. For instance, demand for copper is expected to triple and lithium to increase tenfold by 2030, highlighting the relevance of these minerals in renewable energy technologies.
Critical minerals are concentrated in specific territories, making the role of subnational governments and stakeholders in mining regions crucial for the green transition and local development. Managing the challenges and opportunities that mining brings at the subnational level requires careful planning and sound strategies to balance increased mineral extraction, sustainable development, and local added value. Some mining regions also face mineral depletion and mine closures, requiring coherent policies for a smooth economic and social transition. The OECD helps develop strategies that align with global energy goals and promote positive economic, social, and environmental outcomes in mineral-rich regions.
Mining regions are home to diverse communities, who are linked to rural ecosystems and environmental amenities. Across the globe, over half the critical minerals resource base are located on or near Indigenous land. Indigenous communities have historic and deep-rooted connections to the land, positioning them uniquely as stewards of biodiversity and protectors of territories. Meaningful engagement with these communities is needed to drive policies and governance schemes that promote more sustainable mining developments.
The OECD's commitment to tailor policy recommendation and exchange local experiences showcases a shift toward more inclusive decision-making. Ensuring the participation of Indigenous peoples and local communities at the decision-making enables bottom-up, holistic solutions that include and respect traditional knowledge. This collaborative effort aims to turn potential threats from new mining projects into opportunities, making communities central to achieving a sustainable and equitable green transition.
OECD Mining Regions and Cities Initiative
Context
Mining Regions Toolkit: Measuring well-being of OECD mining regions relative to OECD rural average
To better understand the effects of mining on regional development, this toolkit identifies 13 indicators to measure economic, social, and environmental well-being standards across OECD mining regions compared to other OECD regions. This statistical toolkit serves to identify specific opportunities and challenges to inform policy and strategic actions.
For instance, on average, OECD mining regions exhibit several relative strengths, including higher GDP per capita, a larger share of young population, greater growth of green land cover, and lower risks of drought due to water depletion, compared to OECD rural regions. However, they also face notable challenges, such as lower levels of innovation, higher greenhouse gas emissions, less economic diversification, and a lower share of women in the workforce. Recognising the diverse performance of mining regions in various dimensions helps shape effective policy practice.
Timeline
The OECD Mining Regions and Cities Initiative conducts events and case studies across OECD countries, holding an annual Conference in various OECD mining regions.
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