JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – The International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM), whose members include 23 of the world’s leading mining companies, on Tuesday announced new commitments on water stewardship to help tackle one of the biggest global challenges of the twenty-first century.
With more than 1.2-billion people living in areas of water scarcity and natural habitats under increasing threat, the ICMM recognises that industry can play an important role in tackling this global issue.
“Our members have shown real leadership in adopting a firm commitment to water stewardship. Society will not be able to meet the sustainable development challenges of the twenty-first century without improving the management and use of global water resources,” says ICMM CEO Tom Butler.
ICMM member companies, which account for around one-third of global mining activity, have pledged action to support the responsible use of water with this month’s launch of ICMM’s water stewardship position statement.
The companies have committed to apply strong and transparent water governance, effectively manage water use at operations and to collaborate on achieving responsible and sustainable water use.
ICMM members are expected to implement these commitments by November 2018.
The ICMM has also committed to developing guidance and toolkits to support effective water stewardship, which will be available to the wider mining industry as well as other industry sectors.