Sustainability Assessment Model

BC Mining Issue:The current EA process is limited in scope and does not adequately evaluate long term risks and benefits associated with projects. The current process ignores broader issues, such as society’s need for the project, and if minerals might be better left for the use of future generations.

Fair Mining Best Practice:Replace the current EA model with a Sustainability Assessment model.

The current EA process fails to adequately evaluate long-term benefits and risks associated with projects and ignores broader issues, such as society’s need for the project, and if minerals might be better left for the use of future generations.

Sustainability assessment (SA) asks the question: Does this project advance our economy & society toward a sustainable future? And not just: How can this project be made less bad? SA seeks to improve positive elements of a project as well mitigate negative elements. SA asks questions about fairness & justice as well, by emphasizing inter-generational equity as well as intra-generational equity. – Ecojustice 2011

As a result of these failings, a shift toward a broader ‘Sustainability Assessment’ (SA) model should at least inform, if not replace the current EA model.

The Sustainability Assessment model moves away from merely determining whether significant adverse effects are likely or not. Instead, it assesses the likely gains that may come from a project, and balances these with the potential for negative environmental, social or economic outcomes.

For a complete list of the Model’s guiding principles click here.