Bringing Sustainability to Mining at COP16: A Bold Step Toward Responsible Resource Management

The Artisanal Gold Council (AGC) is stepping onto the global stage once again, ready to make waves at COP16 in Cali, Colombia, from October 21 to November 1, 2024. This pivotal event follows the landmark adoption of the Kunming-Montreal Global Framework on Biodiversity, placing the spotlight on how we manage and protect our planet's precious ecosystems.

A Vision for Peace with Nature

At COP16, Colombia is championing an ambitious agenda under the theme Peace with Nature. The country is taking a hard look at how humans interact with the environment, advocating for a balanced relationship that benefits both. Colombia's priorities are clear: elevating regional voices, unifying climate and biodiversity efforts, and ensuring that resources and funding for biodiversity reach those who need it most.

A New Global Agreement: Mining for Life

Central to Colombia’s vision is a groundbreaking international agreement aimed at promoting mining practices that protect both human well-being and the environment. This bold proposal tackles critical challenges, drawing from international precedents while laying out an urgent call for a global framework that respects nature.

The key objectives of the agreement are ambitious and necessary :

• Combat Illegal Mining: Curbing harmful, illegal practices across the supply chain.
• Maximize Social and Economic Benefits: Ensuring communities see real, tangible benefits from mining.
• Minimize Environmental and Social Risks: Reducing negative impacts on both people and the planet.
• Promote Transparency: Holding mining operations accountable with clear, accessible information.
• Support Fair Pay for Artisanal Miners: Ensuring the often-overlooked small-scale miners receive fair compensation.
  

Why the World Needs This Agreement Now

In today’s fast-changing world, mineral extraction is critical, but it must be done sustainably. Our planet—and the communities that depend on it—deserve a mining industry that:

• Protects the Environment: By preventing water pollution, soil degradation, and ecosystem destruction while promoting restoration and rehabilitation efforts.
• Upholds Human Rights: Safeguarding indigenous and vulnerable communities through health impact assessments and early warnings.
• Supports Sustainable Extraction: Encouraging fiscal policies that drive ecosystem recovery and ensure a fair energy transition.
• Creates Economic Opportunities: Fostering value-added activities that benefit mineral-producing regions.
• Embraces Clean Technologies: Promoting efficient, environmentally friendly practices to diversify local economies.
  

AGC’s Leadership in Responsible Mining

AGC's work in Colombia and beyond is setting the gold standard for responsible mining. Our model combines technical expertise, clean technologies, and a commitment to both social and environmental sustainability. AGC's unique approach doesn’t just reduce the environmental footprint of mining—it formalizes artisanal miners, opening doors to legal markets and aligning them with international standards of sustainability and traceability.

Our strategic partnerships with governments, communities, and private organizations create value chains that are not only responsible but also transparent, benefitting all stakeholders involved. AGC’s methodology highlights the economic, social, and ecological potential of artisanal mining, ensuring that communities thrive alongside responsible practices.

A Forward-Thinking Proposal for COP16

At COP16, AGC will present a comprehensive proposal designed to integrate biodiversity conservation into mining operations. This vision assesses projects from both a geological and economic perspective while prioritizing environmental restoration and the creation of biological corridors. Our goal is to ensure mining operations are sustainable at every level—economic, social, and ecological.

We're also empowering mining communities to adopt modern technologies that reduce biodiversity impacts. By promoting sustainable practices, AGC is helping these communities improve their livelihoods while protecting the natural world.

Leading the Charge for a Sustainable Future

AGC’s Executive Director, Roger Tissot, will lead our team at COP16, joining fellow experts like Julio César Porras and David Eugenio López to discuss the Proposed International Agreement for the Promotion of Mining for Life. This isn’t just about sharing our knowledge—it’s about actively shaping a future where sustainable mineral use becomes the global standard.

With a dedicated team of environmental engineers, biologists, and geologists, AGC will participate in the technical discussions happening in the green zone, sharing insights from our long-standing commitment to responsible mining.

Mining for a Brighter Tomorrow

By embracing sustainability and transparency, AGC is helping to transform the mining industry into a key driver of the global energy transition. Our work at COP16 will serve as a blueprint for how responsible mining practices can coexist with environmental stewardship, ensuring that communities, industries, and nature can thrive together.