With the large size of protected areas in Namibia, it is not surprising that a major part of the country’s mineral endowment occurs in protected areas, with about 75% of the revenue from mining coming from protected areas in Namibia.
This is according to the Revised National Policy on Prospecting and Mining in Protected Areas, other Areas with High Value Species and Environmentally Sensitive Areas.
The draft policy still has to be submitted to the Cabinet for approval.
The policy document said that given the enormous potential of both, tourism and mining to contribute to Namibia’s economic development and poverty alleviation, the Government needs to ensure that prospecting and mining activities do not jeopardize the potential for long-term and sustainable development opportunities in protected areas.
“It is also important to recognize that protected areas are the cornerstone of the nation’s biodiversity conservation and a source of wildlife, including many high-value species, but do not represent all of Namibia’s biodiversity or all environmentally sensitive areas.”
It said that this policy has therefore been developed to ensure that the sectors continue to co-exist in a sustainable way to achieve prosperity and sustainability in perpetuity.
The document stated that while several strategies are being employed to address exploration and mining activities in protected areas, it has become evident that strong policy frameworks and tools should be developed to improve decision making and provide protection for biodiversity, ecosystem services and cultural heritage from development impacts.
It said that there are major overlaps in the location of rare species, critical biodiversity areas and the presence of minerals in Namibia.
“The potential negative impacts of exploration and mining activities can be devastating to biodiversity and ecosystems.”
It said that landscape alteration, soil and water contamination and the loss of critical habitats can lead to the loss of important and endemic plant and animal species, which can compromise ecosystems and reduce tourism potential.
“Namibia’s mineral endowment implies that mining and the environment will continue to interact, and hence the need to work together to achieve prosperity in a sustainable manner.”
The document said that it is on this basis that the mines ministry and the environment and tourism ministry developed this policy to guide decision making with regard to exploration and mining in protected areas.
This also includes other areas such as communal conservancies, community forests, other State land, game farms and other freehold land that hold high-value species, as well as environmentally sensitive areas.
“It has been necessary to expand the scope of the policy to include such areas in line with
both growth in the mining industry and in biodiversity conservation programmes.”
The vision of the policy is to develop integrated and sustainable prospecting and mining in Namibia to support economic growth, whilst maintaining the integrity of ecosystems and natural resources, and avoiding degradation of areas highly sensitive for their ecological, social and/or cultural heritage value.
The policy document said that this is to be achieved through the identification of key ecological and culturally sensitive areas within Namibia’s protected areas and other areas with high-value species and environmentally sensitive areas, the development of a Decision Support Tool, and the improvement in the procedures for granting different exploration and mining licenses.
“This Policy presents an important opportunity to strengthen inter-ministerial collaboration and coordination, which will support improved integrated and sustainable development planning that fosters economic growth whilst maintaining the integrity of ecosystems and natural resources upon which Namibia’s people and its economy depend.”
According to the document, the Policy has been developed to complement various regulations and policies relevant to prospecting and mining, to ensure minimal negative impacts on the environment.
This is according to the Revised National Policy on Prospecting and Mining in Protected Areas, other Areas with High Value Species and Environmentally Sensitive Areas.
The draft policy still has to be submitted to the Cabinet for approval.
The policy document said that given the enormous potential of both, tourism and mining to contribute to Namibia’s economic development and poverty alleviation, the Government needs to ensure that prospecting and mining activities do not jeopardize the potential for long-term and sustainable development opportunities in protected areas.
“It is also important to recognize that protected areas are the cornerstone of the nation’s biodiversity conservation and a source of wildlife, including many high-value species, but do not represent all of Namibia’s biodiversity or all environmentally sensitive areas.”
It said that this policy has therefore been developed to ensure that the sectors continue to co-exist in a sustainable way to achieve prosperity and sustainability in perpetuity.
The document stated that while several strategies are being employed to address exploration and mining activities in protected areas, it has become evident that strong policy frameworks and tools should be developed to improve decision making and provide protection for biodiversity, ecosystem services and cultural heritage from development impacts.
It said that there are major overlaps in the location of rare species, critical biodiversity areas and the presence of minerals in Namibia.
“The potential negative impacts of exploration and mining activities can be devastating to biodiversity and ecosystems.”
It said that landscape alteration, soil and water contamination and the loss of critical habitats can lead to the loss of important and endemic plant and animal species, which can compromise ecosystems and reduce tourism potential.
“Namibia’s mineral endowment implies that mining and the environment will continue to interact, and hence the need to work together to achieve prosperity in a sustainable manner.”
The document said that it is on this basis that the mines ministry and the environment and tourism ministry developed this policy to guide decision making with regard to exploration and mining in protected areas.
This also includes other areas such as communal conservancies, community forests, other State land, game farms and other freehold land that hold high-value species, as well as environmentally sensitive areas.
“It has been necessary to expand the scope of the policy to include such areas in line with
both growth in the mining industry and in biodiversity conservation programmes.”
The vision of the policy is to develop integrated and sustainable prospecting and mining in Namibia to support economic growth, whilst maintaining the integrity of ecosystems and natural resources, and avoiding degradation of areas highly sensitive for their ecological, social and/or cultural heritage value.
The policy document said that this is to be achieved through the identification of key ecological and culturally sensitive areas within Namibia’s protected areas and other areas with high-value species and environmentally sensitive areas, the development of a Decision Support Tool, and the improvement in the procedures for granting different exploration and mining licenses.
“This Policy presents an important opportunity to strengthen inter-ministerial collaboration and coordination, which will support improved integrated and sustainable development planning that fosters economic growth whilst maintaining the integrity of ecosystems and natural resources upon which Namibia’s people and its economy depend.”
According to the document, the Policy has been developed to complement various regulations and policies relevant to prospecting and mining, to ensure minimal negative impacts on the environment.
