At the Outlook Planet Sustainable Mining Forum, experts stressed the urgent need to reuse abandoned mine land for sustainable development and local employment.
Srestha Banerjee from iFOREST highlighted land rehabilitation as a key opportunity for inclusive growth.
Rohit Kumar of CMAI flagged methane emissions from mining as an overlooked climate threat.
BK Bhatia of FIMI underlined industry efforts toward sustainability through policy collaboration and the Star Rating Scheme.
Sustainable mining is finding a balance and extracting the minerals we need today without destroying the planet for future generations. It also includes rehabilitating land after mining is done, cutting down on emissions and waste, and making sure the benefits of mining — like jobs or infrastructure — are shared fairly.
While echoing the concern regarding rehabilitating land after Mining at Outlook Planet, Sustainable Mining Forum, Srestha Banerjee, Director, Just Transition at iFOREST said that the big question is today is how do we reuse this abundant and abandoned mine land, not just to make the area more sustainable, but also to generate local employment and create economic opportunities. "This is where the mining sector needs to focus significantly."
"To achieve our climate targets, we need to focus not only on renewables but also on critical minerals. At the same time, it's important to highlight that the mining sector contributes not just to carbon emissions but significantly to methane emissions as well—and methane is a major concern," said Rohit kumar, Secretary General, CMAI.
He added that so far, methane emissions have not been adequately addressed in carbon market mechanisms. This is something we must focus on in the coming days.
On Programmes to evaluate the responsible mining BK Bhatia, DG, Federation of Indian Mineral Industries(FIMI) said that inclusive growth and sustainability must be at the heart of mining operations. "We’ve worked closely with the Ministry of Mines on the Star Rating Scheme to promote responsible mining. To support the industry, we’ve conducted various studies on environmental sustainability, including coastal ecosystems. These assessments also help companies achieve higher star ratings."
