On the occasion of a recent International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, the International Council of Metals and Mining (ICMM) has updated its Indigenous Peoples and Mining Position Statement.
The new document includes commitments to obtain agreement from indigenous peoples on anticipated impacts to their rights from mining activities, identified through human rights due diligence and early and meaningful engagement.
According to the organization’s statement, this reflects the commitment of its members to respect the rights of indigenous peoples, independent of the governmental obligation to obtain the free, prior and informed consent, and sets the course of action if an agreement with communities cannot be reached despite the state approval.
“This comes at a critical time in the world’s energy transition, with an estimated 54% of critical mineral mining projects located on or near Indigenous lands. It is also set against the backdrop of increasing challenges to Indigenous Peoples’ rights and ways of life from a variety of sources including climate change, nature loss and wider industrial development including mining,” ICMM said.
The revised statement has been developed over more than two years with extensive engagement with indigenous peoples’ representatives, human rights and legal experts, and with significant input from mining companies. The document was first published in 2008 and updated in 2013. The latest update reflects changes across the industry in the last decade, ICMM said.
Theodor Lisovoy, Managing Editor, Rough&Polished
