力拓西芒杜铁矿保护生物多样性项目

1、力拓西芒杜铁矿保护生物多样性项目项目背景： 能否取得土地的使用权对于力拓集团至关重要。如果无法获得土地的使用权，力拓任何采矿作业都将无法进行。为了获得土地使用许可，公司需有效应对采矿作业对生物多样性的影响，管控对濒危动植物的威胁。公司为指导并管理生物多样性问题设计了“层级缓解”（mitigation hierarchy）策略。这一策略为公司提供了生物多样性风险识别和对策研发的重要框架，致力于使公司创造生物多样性净值正面效益，弥补其在采矿与处理过程中对环境造成的负面影响。行动方案： “层级缓解”策略的第一步是“规避”：如果经过评估认为项目会对当地生物多样性产生重大影响，则公司须于启动前做出调整甚

2、至中止项目。“规避”的最佳时机是在项目开发阶段。西芒杜（Simandou）铁矿项目为保护几内亚东南部Pic de Fon林区（Pic de Fon Classified Forest)大猩猩所做的工作即是应用“规避”手段的一个案例。 西非大猩猩是濒危物种。在过去的三十年里因为捕猎、栖息地环境恶化、丛林大火、放牧、疾病等，西非大猩猩的数量减少了75%。力拓在2006年获得西芒杜地区采矿权时，只有极少有关当地大猩猩数量的数据。在接下来的四年里，公司对大猩猩进行了全面的调查，详细地记录了与大猩猩生存相关的各个方面，包括栖息地恶化问题和大猩猩的生存威胁等。力拓用收集到的信息指导制定了矿区和铁路基础设施

3、建设计划，防止对大猩猩造成不利影响。尽管从技术和财务角度来讲，在西芒杜西部一带建设铁路线和矿区基础设施是有利的，但研究表明这里是大猩猩最佳的栖息地且已有不少大猩猩聚集在此，所以力拓决定在西芒杜东部建设基础设施。而相比于西部，东部还有着独特的优势。矿区未来的发展必定会导致大量人口和供应商迁移至矿区附近，造成巨大的人口压力。而东部地区已经由当地居民进行了一些开发，具备了一些基础设施。公司未来可以利用当地已有的设施，更顺利地解决未来矿区发展所带来的人口迁移问题。 为了保护大猩猩，矿区修改了采矿计划，改变了采矿次序，将大猩猩核心栖息地保留至最后再开采。这使大猩猩的核心栖息地能够在尽量长的时间内不被破坏

4、。因此，大猩猩不再会因为周边环境的骤然改变而仓促地迁徙，而是有足够的时间应对采矿带来的破坏，转移到林区中的另一处。尽管这个地区对于全球生物多样性十分重要，且受到越来越严重的威胁，但直到力拓获得采矿权之时当地并没有对Pic de Fon林区的正式管理方案。为解决没有统一管理方案的问题，2010年，力拓西芒杜、几内亚环境部与当地非政府组织恩泽雷科雷森林保护中心（Centre Forestier de NZrkor）合作制定了Pic de Fon林区管理计划。该计划设立了保护区、生产区和采矿区，各区之间不得互相越界，在保护环境的前提下保证经济发展。 为了保证矿区与Pic de Fon大猩猩们能够长期

5、共存，除采取“规避”措施之外，公司还采取了其他措施，包括保护现有栖息地、控制捕猎以及保护适合大猩猩生存的潜在栖息地。力拓正在与当地社区合作，增强当地居民对保护大猩猩重要性的理解并为其探索捕猎之外的谋生方法。一个“狩猎人联盟”已经建立并在保护大猩猩中扮演关键角色。联盟成员会在森林里巡逻，发现并记录任何违规行为。绩效收益： 力拓为保护生物多样性做出的努力减少了采矿作业对当地环境造成的破坏，为保护当地大猩猩做出了积极正面的贡献同时，通过该行动，力拓赢得了当地组织和居民的尊重和支持，使得当地的采矿作业得以顺利进行。借鉴意义：为有效应对采矿作业对生物多样性的影响，管控对濒危动植物的威胁，力拓设计了“层级

6、缓解”策略。该策略为公司提供了生物多样性风险识别和对策研发的重要框架，致力于使公司创造生物多样性净值正面效益，弥补其在采矿与处理过程中对环境造成的负面影响。由此可见，企业发起的生物多样性保护项目不仅减少了采矿作业对当地环境造成的破坏，还能赢得当地组织和居民的尊重和支持，使得当地的采矿作业得以顺利进行。Rio Tinto Simandou Biodiversity Protection ProgramBackground:Access to land is essential to all of Rio Tintos operations. Without permission of using

7、 the land, all of Rio Tintos mining activities will stop. As one element of gaining approvals and permit, the company must be able to demonstrate that it can address biodiversity impacts and manage the risk associated with threatened species of animals and plants. The companys goal is to appropriate

8、ly manage biodiversity using a “ HYPERLINK /sustainabledevelopment2013/environment/biodiversity.html mitigation hierarchy” to guide the approach: this provides an important framework for identifying the risks and developing appropriate responses. The company aims to achieve a net positive impact on

9、biodiversity, outweighing the inevitable disturbances caused by mining and mineral processing. Actions:The first step in the mitigation hierarchy is “avoidance”: changing or stopping actions before they take place, to prevent their expected impacts on biodiversity. The biggest opportunity for avoida

10、nce is during project development, as seen through the work of the Simandou iron ore project with local chimpanzee populations, in the Pic de Fon Classified Forest of south-east Guinea.The West African chimpanzee is an endangered species, whose total numbers have dropped by 75 per cent over the last

11、 30 years due to hunting, habitat degradation, bushfire, cattle grazing and disease. Little data was available on the local chimpanzee population when Rio Tinto was granted mining rights in 2006, and so over the next four years, the company undertook comprehensive surveys to build up a detailed pict

12、ure of the chimpanzees, their habitat, and the threats to their survival. The information Rio Tinto gathered was used to guide the mine and rail infrastructure plans, so that impacts on the chimpanzees could be avoided. Although from a technical and financial point of view there were benefits to sit

13、ing the rail line and mine infrastructure to the west of the Simandou range, the studies demonstrated that this was also the best chimpanzee habitat and the area where they were concentrated.So Rio Tinto took the decision to develop the infrastructure on the eastern side of the orebody. The developm

14、ent that already exists will be more able to handle the migration of people and businesses seeking to benefit from economic opportunities presented by the mine. The mine plan has also been modified in order to protect the chimpanzees. By changing the sequence in which the orebody will be worked, cor

15、e habitat will be left untouched for as long as possible. This gives resident chimpanzees the time to adjust to disruption and move on to other areas within the classified forest, rather than being displaced suddenly.Despite its global biodiversity significance, and increasing threats, no formal man

16、agement plan was in place for the Pic de Fon Forest when Rio Tinto gained its mining rights. In 2010, Rio Tinto Simandou, the Guinean Ministry of Environment and the Centre Forestier de NZrkor (a local ecological NGO) came together to develop the Pic de Fon Classified Forest Management Plan. A stric

17、t protection zone, a production zone and a mining zone now co-exist within the forest to striving for the goal of ensuring economic development and protecting the environment.To secure the co-existence of mining with the long-term survival of the Pic de Fon chimpanzee population, other mitigation me

18、asures are being implemented in addition to the avoidance efforts. These include ensuring habitat is protected, hunting is controlled, and that further suitable habitat is secured. Rio Tinto is working with the local community to increase understanding about the chimpanzees conservation significance

19、, and to explore alternative options to hunting as a livelihood for local people. A hunters federation has been formed, which is now playing a key role in conservation efforts. Members patrol the forest and record any irregularities they find.Benefits:Together, Rio Tintos measures are designed to ensure that its presence does not contribute to further decline, but instead that it contributes to the overall benefit of the chimpanzees. Meanwhile, Rio Tintos efforts in protecting chimpanzees have earned respects and supports from local organisations and people, ensuring that its