The mining and mineral industry depends on ecosystem services such as clean water, flood protection, erosion control, and dust control. It is therefore important for us to secure access to these services.
By building knowledge about ecosystems and their services, we minimize the risk of inadvertently damaging the systems on which these activities rely on today and in the future. Instead, if ecosystems can be strengthened, businesses will enjoy greater operational stability.
Increased knowledge of nearby species and natural habitats also reduces risks in operations through increased awareness of how operations can avoid or reduce environmental impacts that might otherwise have caused costs to the operator.
Examples of risk mitigation include:
-
- Enhanced delivery of ecosystem services such as clean water, flood protection and dust control.
- Increased resilience to the impacts of climate change.
- Avoiding fines or legal penalties as a result of accidental damage to natural habitats and species.