ENVIRONMENTAL GOVERNANCE PROGRAMME

 2015-2019
Integrating Environment and Human Rights into the Governance of the Mining Sector

A JOINT SWEDISH ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY -

UNITED NATIONS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME INITIATIVE 
MINING, SUSTAINABLE
DEVELOPMENT, HUMAN RIGHTS
AND THE ENVIRONMENT   
Mining, if managed well, can contribute to
sustainable development, including in the
least developed countries and fragile states.
However, mining can also cause great
environmental and social harm.

As the demand for metals and minerals

continues to grow - including to advance
durable growth and green technologies
required for a low-carbon future - and as
mineral extraction moves into ever more
remote and environmentally pristine areas,
greater efforts are needed to protect human
rights and the biodiversity and ecosystems
on which local communities and society more
broadly depend.

Protecting the environment from the direct

and indirect impacts of mining is integral to
the full enjoyment of a wide range of human
rights, including life and health. At the same
time, human rights, including procedural
rights for participation in decision-making, and
access to information and redress, are needed
for the protection of the environment.

When local communities are able to learn

about and participate in decisions that affect
them, they can in turn help to ensure that
those decisions consider their knowledge and
needs for a healthy environment and
sustainable livelihoods.
WHO WE ARE 

The Swedish Environmental

Protection Agency (Swedish EPA)
and the United Nations
Development Programme (UNDP)
jointly launched the Environmental
Governance of Sustainable Natural
Resource Management in the
Mining Sector Programme (EGP) in
2015.

It draws upon the combined

governance, environmental and
extractive sector expertise of the two
agencies and their partners. The EGP
is fully funded by the Swedish
International Development
Cooperation Agency (Sida) from 2015
through June 2019.

WHERE WE WORK

The EGP provides targeted support

to four countries: Colombia, Kenya,
Mongolia, and Mozambique. The
programme also works at the
global and regional level to
strengthen knowledge sharing and
the exchange of innovative policy
approaches within and across
countries and regions.
INTEGRATED APPROACH
Using the nexus between the
environment and human rights as
a lens, the EGP supports
governments to integrate
environment and human rights
in the governance of the mining
sector.

We support the strengthening of
capacities of ministries of mining,
environment and other national
and local stakeholders, including
national human rights institutions,
to ensure that human rights are at
the core of the design,
implementation, and monitoring
of policies and regulatory
frameworks relevant to the
mining sector.

In this way, the EGP helps

countries to operationalize
Principle 10 of the Rio Declaration
and meet their national
commitments under global
environmental agreements and
international human rights
frameworks while accelerating
progress towards the Sustainable
Development Goals (SDGs). 
WHAT WE DO
Connect countries to the expertise
needed to tackle complex challenges and
leverage new opportunities in the
environmental governance of the mining
sector.
Facilitate global, regional and country
knowledge exchange through:
- peer-to-peer learning events between
the Swedish EPA and national
government partners;
- the GOXI.org on-line Community of
Practice platform; and
- webinars and other South-South
learning opportunities.
Conduct diagnostics that inform policy
reforms and help to integrate
environment, gender, human rights and
rule-of-law in mining governance.
Strengthen inter-ministerial and cross-
sectoral coordination mechanisms that
recognize the roles of different authorities
involved in governing the mining sector.
Facilitate and strengthen in-country
platforms for multi-stakeholder dialogue
and engagement. 
Synthesize and share country
experiences and global expertise through
technical studies and guidance notes on
cutting-edge issues of environmental
governance of the mining sector. 
EXAMPLES OF OUR WORK 
In Mongolia, two landmark studies on the rule-of-law and legality in the governance of mining were
conducted, which have informed the drafting of stronger mining laws and regulations:  the Law of Offences,
the Mineral Law, the Environmental Impact Assessment Regulation, and the Environmental Monitoring
Plan Regulation. These are expected to strengthen environmental protection in the mining sector for
affected communities across the country.

In Colombia, an assessment of the degree to which government institutions adhere to procedural rights
related to the environment has been conducted. The assessment is now being replicated in five new regions,
with the results to be used to inform the country’s future strategy for the Environmental Management of the
Colombian Mining Energy Sector and an early warning system.  

In Mozambique, a compendium of Good Practices for Women and Mining in Mozambique that highlight
challenges and opportunities for women in mining was developed jointly with UN Women. In collaboration
with OXFAM, a training on Free Prior and Informed Consent was conducted for civil society members from
across four regional provinces.

In Kenya, for the first time, a Strategic Environmental and Social Assessment (SESA) of the mining sector
has been conducted. The process of the SESA has been as important as its recommendations:  A cross-sector
coordination mechanism with representatives from the ministries of mining and environment, civil society
organizations, and the national human rights commission was created to oversee the work, and its members
have become advocates for more integrated policymaking in the mining sector.
EXAMPLES OF OUR WORK 
Global Guide - Extracting Good Practices: a comprehensive and user-friendly guide for governments and
partners on how to integrate environment and human rights into the governance of the mining sector. 

Mining Governance Assessment - Rule of Law in Public Administration: User-friendly and adaptive
governance assessment on the application of procedural rights in the environmental governance of the
mining sector.

Webinars: 15 webinars with more than 1,000 participants from over 100 countries.

Advocacy and Awareness Raising: Organization of global events to advance the right to a clean and healthy
environment and sharing of good practices for mainstreaming biodiversity, ecosystem services, and human
rights in the mining sector, including to inform the Conference of the Parties for the Convention on Biological
Diversity (COP CBD).
OUR PARTNERSHIPS  CONTACT US
Partnerships are at the heart of our Our partners include UN Women, UN UNDP Bureau for Policy and
work. At the country level, we work Environment, UNITAR, the World Programme Support, New York 
with key government partners Bank, the Folke Bernadotte www.undp.org 
including ministries of mining and Academy, the Intergovernmental
environment, national Forum for Mining, Minerals Metals Focal points: 
environmental protection agencies, and Sustainable Development, the ann.pedersen@undp.org
oversight bodies and national International Institute for sanna.due@undp.org 
human rights commissions, and civil Sustainable Development, and
society. Swedbio at the Stockholm Resilience Swedish Environmental Protection
Centre. Agency, Stockholm
We also work closely with our UN http://www.swedishepa.se/
and non-UN partners to achieve our
common objectives.  Focal point:
Maria.Bang@Naturvardsverket.se