Final Report Summary - ERMISA (Environmental Regulation Mine Waters in South America)
The 'Environmental regulation mine waters in South America' (Ermisa) project aimed to support aquatic ecosystems in South America, starting with Peru as an example. This aim has been achieved through the following activities:
1. A summary evaluation of existing mine water management measures in Peru (relating to active and abandoned mines) from the regulatory, technical and social perspectives.
2. Dissemination, as an element for regional dialogue, of the results of three European projects: 'Environmental regulation of mine waters in the EU' (Ermite), 'Passive in-situ remediation of acidic mine / industrial drainage' (Piramid), 'Access to research infrastructure' (Costar).
3. Establish a multi-sector (industry, regulators, non-governmental organisations (NGOs)) forum for dialogue on ecosystems and mine water management, including representatives from other countries in the region. This forum will be based on the already existing Grupo de Diálogo Minería y Desarrollo Sostenible which has been active for several years and has produced an agenda for mining sector. Ermisa will promote the dialogue on water management in the mining sector.
4. Support the development of future RTD activities on this topic in South America with the aim of promoting the local development of appropriate 'whole catchment' approaches to water management, including the use of relevant passive remediation technologies.
Expected results and outcomes
Ermisa raised the profile of water issues in the management of the mining sector in Peru. The main vehicle for this task was the involvement with the NGO-led Grupo de Diálogo Minería y Desarrollo Sostenible which gathers all the key actors of the mining sector to discuss sustainable development and mining in Peru. These meetings have been attended by an average of 50 participants from the main mining companies, NGOs, consultants, communities, universities, municipalities and national government (e.g. Ministry of Energy and Mining).
As a first step to support this process, Ermisa produced an integrated analysis of water and mining in the country. It also provided access to the outputs of former European research projects which have tackled similar issues, as one contribution to the establishment of high level standards for the Peruvian mining industry. These reports are publicly available at http://www.labor.org.pe/webermisa/ermisa2.htm(si apre in una nuova finestra).
Group discussing the identified priority 'Water, mining and catchment'. It met several times during the life-time of the project and produced a number of provisional recommendations that can be found in the document 'Final Peru report with recommendations' available in the above mentioned webpage. It is expected that the group will keep meeting after the end of the project. The main product of Ermisa has been the organisation of the first international forum: 'La Gestión del Agua, Minería y Cuenca para un Desarrollo Social' (Management of water, mining and catchment for social development). The event was co-organised with AMANCO, Gestión Social del Agua y el Ambiente en Cuencas (GSAAC), Instituto de Promoción para la Gestión del Agua (Iproga), Noticias Aliadas and CARE with support of the Belgium agency 11.11.11.
The forum had an average of 150 participants per day including representatives from mining companies, farmers, service companies, government, external donors, researchers and academics. It was divided in four blocks: key note speakers, experience from companies, experience from communities and other catchment oriented initiatives.
In the last session a panel with different specialist in this sector produced a final synthesis of the main points raised during the discussions. This summary and all the presentations can be found at http://www.labor.org.pe/webermisa/1foro.htm(si apre in una nuova finestra).
The main conclusions were that:
1. The Peruvian government should prioritise within their international cooperation agreements on:
- the development of environmental institutions for water resources and conflict management
- the establishment of a plan to remediate the mining legacy.
2. Companies should apply in the South the same international standards that they use in the North.
Ermisa also established a dialogue with the external cooperation agencies in Peru that have formed the Grupo de Donantes de Agua. This group is formed by the main donors with an interest in water provision and management. In particular, a number of meetings were organised with the EU Delegation in Peru.
The final findings of the project and the implications for EU policies were discussed in workshop for EC officials from DG Environment, DG AidCo and DG Relex in Brussels on the 15th January 2007 co-organised with DG Research. Two policy briefs found at http://www.labor.org.pe/webermisa/ermisa2.htm(si apre in una nuova finestra) were presented by the Ermisa team and discussed with the EC officials.
Dissemination and use
The perspective of mining and water is new in Peru. A strategy for dissemination is thus very important to introduce the topic and generate attention and interest on it. Its objectives are to:
1. Disseminate the information produced by Ermisa to specialist and decision makers in the government, business, universities, NGOs, aid organisations and media.
2. Participate in key spaces to bring the topic into the public agenda.
Activities
- Develop links of communication with the government to promote the exchange of information.
- Organise events to discuss and develop the topic for a working breakfast, press conferences.
- Produce press releases and articles and send them to media and stakeholders with or without previous interest in the topic.
- Join discussion list and feed them with key documents and opinions.
- Develop contacts with EU offices, other international and national agencies to promote the project objectives.
Available promotional spaces
- Grupo de Diálogo Minería y Desarrollo Sostenible, and Commissions.
- Red Muqui.
Other avenues
- Web page at Asociación Civil Labor: http://www.labor.org.pe(si apre in una nuova finestra)
- Web page at Newcastle University
- Web page of the Red Muqui: http://www.muqui.org(si apre in una nuova finestra).
They were used to disseminate information about Ermisa and the antecedent projects Ermite, Piramid and Costar.
1. A summary evaluation of existing mine water management measures in Peru (relating to active and abandoned mines) from the regulatory, technical and social perspectives.
2. Dissemination, as an element for regional dialogue, of the results of three European projects: 'Environmental regulation of mine waters in the EU' (Ermite), 'Passive in-situ remediation of acidic mine / industrial drainage' (Piramid), 'Access to research infrastructure' (Costar).
3. Establish a multi-sector (industry, regulators, non-governmental organisations (NGOs)) forum for dialogue on ecosystems and mine water management, including representatives from other countries in the region. This forum will be based on the already existing Grupo de Diálogo Minería y Desarrollo Sostenible which has been active for several years and has produced an agenda for mining sector. Ermisa will promote the dialogue on water management in the mining sector.
4. Support the development of future RTD activities on this topic in South America with the aim of promoting the local development of appropriate 'whole catchment' approaches to water management, including the use of relevant passive remediation technologies.
Expected results and outcomes
Ermisa raised the profile of water issues in the management of the mining sector in Peru. The main vehicle for this task was the involvement with the NGO-led Grupo de Diálogo Minería y Desarrollo Sostenible which gathers all the key actors of the mining sector to discuss sustainable development and mining in Peru. These meetings have been attended by an average of 50 participants from the main mining companies, NGOs, consultants, communities, universities, municipalities and national government (e.g. Ministry of Energy and Mining).
As a first step to support this process, Ermisa produced an integrated analysis of water and mining in the country. It also provided access to the outputs of former European research projects which have tackled similar issues, as one contribution to the establishment of high level standards for the Peruvian mining industry. These reports are publicly available at http://www.labor.org.pe/webermisa/ermisa2.htm(si apre in una nuova finestra).
Group discussing the identified priority 'Water, mining and catchment'. It met several times during the life-time of the project and produced a number of provisional recommendations that can be found in the document 'Final Peru report with recommendations' available in the above mentioned webpage. It is expected that the group will keep meeting after the end of the project. The main product of Ermisa has been the organisation of the first international forum: 'La Gestión del Agua, Minería y Cuenca para un Desarrollo Social' (Management of water, mining and catchment for social development). The event was co-organised with AMANCO, Gestión Social del Agua y el Ambiente en Cuencas (GSAAC), Instituto de Promoción para la Gestión del Agua (Iproga), Noticias Aliadas and CARE with support of the Belgium agency 11.11.11.
The forum had an average of 150 participants per day including representatives from mining companies, farmers, service companies, government, external donors, researchers and academics. It was divided in four blocks: key note speakers, experience from companies, experience from communities and other catchment oriented initiatives.
In the last session a panel with different specialist in this sector produced a final synthesis of the main points raised during the discussions. This summary and all the presentations can be found at http://www.labor.org.pe/webermisa/1foro.htm(si apre in una nuova finestra).
The main conclusions were that:
1. The Peruvian government should prioritise within their international cooperation agreements on:
- the development of environmental institutions for water resources and conflict management
- the establishment of a plan to remediate the mining legacy.
2. Companies should apply in the South the same international standards that they use in the North.
Ermisa also established a dialogue with the external cooperation agencies in Peru that have formed the Grupo de Donantes de Agua. This group is formed by the main donors with an interest in water provision and management. In particular, a number of meetings were organised with the EU Delegation in Peru.
The final findings of the project and the implications for EU policies were discussed in workshop for EC officials from DG Environment, DG AidCo and DG Relex in Brussels on the 15th January 2007 co-organised with DG Research. Two policy briefs found at http://www.labor.org.pe/webermisa/ermisa2.htm(si apre in una nuova finestra) were presented by the Ermisa team and discussed with the EC officials.
Dissemination and use
The perspective of mining and water is new in Peru. A strategy for dissemination is thus very important to introduce the topic and generate attention and interest on it. Its objectives are to:
1. Disseminate the information produced by Ermisa to specialist and decision makers in the government, business, universities, NGOs, aid organisations and media.
2. Participate in key spaces to bring the topic into the public agenda.
Activities
- Develop links of communication with the government to promote the exchange of information.
- Organise events to discuss and develop the topic for a working breakfast, press conferences.
- Produce press releases and articles and send them to media and stakeholders with or without previous interest in the topic.
- Join discussion list and feed them with key documents and opinions.
- Develop contacts with EU offices, other international and national agencies to promote the project objectives.
Available promotional spaces
- Grupo de Diálogo Minería y Desarrollo Sostenible, and Commissions.
- Red Muqui.
Other avenues
- Web page at Asociación Civil Labor: http://www.labor.org.pe(si apre in una nuova finestra)
- Web page at Newcastle University
- Web page of the Red Muqui: http://www.muqui.org(si apre in una nuova finestra).
They were used to disseminate information about Ermisa and the antecedent projects Ermite, Piramid and Costar.
