Imagine a world where we’ve achieved net-zero emissions, transitioning to clean energy sources while safeguarding our planet’s biodiversity. This vision might seem utopian, but it’s one that we’re racing toward. The extractive industry, responsible for supplying the essential minerals needed for decarbonization, is central to this ambitious transformation. However, the challenge lies in achieving this sustainability without compromising our environment.
Introduction
In this blog post, we delve into a critical issue at the intersection of environmental protection and industrial growth. We’ll explore how innovative solutions, collectively known as “nature intelligence,” are revolutionizing the way we monitor and protect biodiversity, particularly in the mining sector.
The urgency to achieve net-zero emissions, as demanded by the Paris Agreement, presents a daunting task: we must quadruple mineral production by 2040. This immense demand for raw materials places a substantial burden on the mining industry, particularly given that a significant proportion of global mines are situated in biodiversity hotspots.
The need to assess and minimize the environmental impact of mining operations is not just an ecological concern; it’s an economic and social imperative. Biodiversity is the bedrock of our natural defense against climate change and a cornerstone of the global economy, making it crucial to strike a balance.
What will we see and learn here?
This blog post will explore the challenges and opportunities in biodiversity protection, highlighting the essential role of “nature intelligence” technologies, such as environmental DNA (eDNA), in revolutionizing the way we monitor and mitigate the impact of mining on our natural world.
We’ll also discuss how these technologies can pave the path to a nature-positive mining industry, ensuring responsible mineral extraction and closure while preserving both ecosystems and local communities.
We’ll start by discussing the urgency of the net-zero transition and the critical role the mining industry plays in supplying the raw materials for clean energy. Then, we’ll delve into the frameworks established to protect biodiversity, emphasizing the need for data-driven approaches.
We’ll explore the complexity of measuring biodiversity and the challenges in acquiring the necessary data. Next, we’ll introduce the concept of “nature intelligence” and focus on eDNA technology’s game-changing potential.
We’ll also discuss how combining eDNA with other technologies amplifies the power of biodiversity monitoring. We’ll examine how the mining industry can evolve towards becoming “nature-positive,” with examples from leading companies.
Finally, we’ll address the role of data in achieving a nature-positive future and underline the importance of transparency and collaboration in preserving our environment.
So, Let’s start
The global push for net-zero emissions is driving an unprecedented transition to clean and sustainable energy sources. As we race towards a greener future, the extractive industry is emerging as a crucial player, supplying the raw minerals essential for decarbonization.
Yet, this shift towards a more sustainable future must not come at the expense of our planet’s biodiversity. The mining sector faces the challenge of balancing its growth with environmental sustainability. In this blog post, we explore how innovative approaches to biodiversity monitoring, often collectively termed “nature intelligence,” offer a promising solution to minimize the impact of mining on the natural world.
The Race to Net-Zero and the Mining Industry’s Role
The global imperative to achieve net-zero emissions has set in motion one of the most rapid energy transitions in history. The International Energy Agency (IEA) projects that, to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement, we must quadruple our mineral production by 2040. This sharp increase in demand places a significant burden on the extractive industry, which is expected to meet these needs.
However, it’s crucial to consider that approximately 20% of the global mines tracked by the MSCI ACWI Investable Market Index (IMI) are located in biodiversity hotspots. This fact highlights the urgent need for accurately assessing and measuring the impact of mining operations on their surrounding environments. Biodiversity is not just a buzzword; it’s our most potent natural defense against climate change, and it underpins the global economy.
The World Economic Forum states that over 50% of global GDP is moderately or highly dependent on nature. Therefore, it is imperative that nature-based considerations take center stage in decision-making across all sectors, including mining, which has historically been criticized for its environmental degradation and health risks to communities and ecosystems exposed to pollution.
Frameworks for Biodiversity Protection
Recognizing the significance of protecting biodiversity, numerous frameworks have been launched in recent years. These include the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF), Science Based Targets Networks (SBTN), and the Task-Force on Nature-related Financial Disclosure (TNFD). The common goal of these frameworks is to preserve biodiversity and establish nature-positive practices necessary for a sustainable future. Early adopters in the business world are gaining a significant advantage, much like the transition of carbon reporting from voluntary to regulatory and compliance standards.
Measuring Biodiversity: A Complex Challenge
One of the key challenges in biodiversity protection is measuring and reporting on its impact. Unlike carbon emissions, which are measured and traded in metric tons of CO2, biodiversity is far more complex. It encompasses the variety and quantity of plant and animal species in different ecosystems. Developing standardized metrics that can accurately measure, track, and assess biodiversity across various environments, from deserts to rainforests and coral reefs, is a daunting task.
These frameworks provide businesses with a blueprint for understanding what they should monitor and how to report it systematically. However, the biggest challenge remains acquiring the raw data necessary to meet these requirements. This shift towards comprehensive, all-encompassing biodiversity baselining across taxonomic groups is expensive and comes with a host of challenges.
Enter “Nature Intelligence”
In recent years, innovative “nature intelligence” technologies have emerged as a game-changer. One such technology is environmental DNA (eDNA). Environmental DNA allows organizations to sample an environment for traces of DNA left by all life forms, from bacteria to blue whales. This technology reveals a complete picture of the biodiversity in an ecosystem. eDNA surveys enable organizations to identify at-risk invasive or protected species and simultaneously survey a wide range of biological groups. It establishes comprehensive baselines from which changes, whether good or bad, can be detected.
Synergy with Other Technologies
The power of eDNA surveying is amplified when combined with other nature intelligence technologies, including Earth observation/GIS, bioacoustics, and drones. This combination enables companies to monitor biodiversity at a granular scale, providing insights that help them understand, report on, and manage their operations’ relationship with nature.
Towards a Nature-Positive Mining Industry
The mining industry faces the challenge of ramping up operations while complying with increasingly stringent biodiversity regulations. The time from discovery to commercial extraction, often referred to as the Lassonde Curve, takes around 16 years. Closing this gap is crucial to meet decarbonization goals.
However, this should not translate into a relaxation of environmental standards. On the contrary, the need for accelerated mining development should catalyze the adoption of more sophisticated environmental management.
Many companies, including Anglo American, SÃnese, and Rio Tinto, have already experienced success in using these technologies for different purposes to support their efforts to become nature-positive. For instance, Anglo American has utilized eDNA to revolutionize biodiversity monitoring in various projects across multiple countries since 2020.
The Role of Data in a Nature-Positive Future
The International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM) recognizes the valuable potential of data generated by mining companies. It emphasizes the need for more participation, transparency, openness, and data accessibility to move towards a nature-positive future. This approach should be at the core of developing and implementing any corporate nature-positive strategy.
The mining industry finds itself at the intersection of two existential crises: climate change and biodiversity loss. The need for mineral exploration and extraction to achieve decarbonization goals is undeniable, but this must be balanced with responsible environmental practices.
“Nature intelligence” will play a pivotal role at all stages of the mining life cycle, ensuring that mines can improve their management of biodiversity and align with emerging frameworks. Furthermore, nature intelligence can contribute to the responsible closure of mines, benefiting both local communities and ecosystems.
After all, all biodiversity impacts are environmental impacts, and these, given our dependence on natural systems and ecological functions, ultimately become social impacts. Nature intelligence can lead us on a mining trajectory that improves outcomes for both nature and society.
Conclusion
As we conclude our exploration of the critical intersection between the mining industry and biodiversity protection, it’s evident that the urgency of achieving net-zero emissions, while supplying the raw materials for clean energy, poses a significant challenge.
Yet, we’ve also uncovered a promising solution: “nature intelligence.” This innovative approach, including environmental DNA (eDNA) technology, empowers us to monitor and mitigate the impact of mining on our natural world like never before.
However, understanding the importance of nature intelligence is just the beginning. It’s time to take action. It’s time to recognize that the extractive industry, which plays a pivotal role in our journey toward sustainability, must do so without compromising our planet’s biodiversity.
Call to Action
- Embrace Nature Intelligence: Encourage mining companies and environmental organizations to adopt and invest in “nature intelligence” technologies. By leveraging eDNA, Earth observation, bioacoustics, and drones, we can create a more comprehensive understanding of biodiversity and its impact on mining operations.
- Support Data Transparency: Advocate for greater data transparency and accessibility in the mining sector. Data generated by mining companies is a valuable resource in preserving biodiversity. By making this data more accessible, we can drive positive change.
- Promote Collaboration: Environmental protection isn’t the responsibility of a single entity. It’s a collective effort. Encourage collaboration between governments, environmental organizations, and mining companies to create a more nature-positive future.
- Celebrate Innovators: Recognize and celebrate companies like Anglo American, SÃnese, and Rio Tinto, who have already taken steps towards becoming nature-positive. Their successes can serve as inspiration for the entire industry.
- Advocate for Stringent Environmental Standards: Accelerating mining development doesn’t mean relaxing environmental standards. On the contrary, insist on more sophisticated environmental management to ensure responsible mineral extraction and closure.
- Educate and Engage: Share knowledge about the importance of biodiversity and the role of nature intelligence in protecting it. Engage in conversations and initiatives that support these technologies and practices.
In the mining industry’s pivotal role in achieving net-zero emissions and preserving biodiversity, we find an opportunity for transformative change. It’s a chance to shape a future where we don’t have to choose between economic growth and environmental protection.
By embracing nature intelligence and working together, we can create a world where both thrive – a world that safeguards our planet’s biodiversity as we race towards a greener and more sustainable future.
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