Abstract
While the role Aboriginal people play in environmental governance programs are often underpinned by the Crown, Aboriginal peoples are ratifying negotiated agreements with mining proponents to ensure their issues and concerns are addressed. This paper examines Aboriginal participation in mine development to show how more inclusive social and environmental development models can support a more sustainable development. Through two complementary processes, negotiated agreements and environmental impact assessment, Aboriginal peoples are maximizing their benefits and minimizing the adverse impacts of a project to create a more sustainable resource development. Case study analysis of the Galore Creek Project in northwestern British Columbia, Canada, illustrates how environmental impact assessment and negotiated agreements can co-exist to positively contribute to a successful mineral development, and hence operationalize sustainability within this context.
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Notes
There are some modern land claim settlements in which proponents must negotiate and complete NAs with the regional government before proceeding with mineral development.
ICMM is a CEO-led organization representing many of the world’s leading mining and metals companies as well as regional, national and commodity associations. ICMM members are committed to the responsible production of the minerals and metals society needs.
The Crown’s fiduciary duty to Aboriginal peoples and the ‘duty to consult’.
These agreements exist between industry and aboriginal communities each with different objectives and are variously known as impact and benefit agreements, cooperation agreements, access agreements, participation agreements, supraregulatory agreements, etc.
A ratification process of acceptance or rejection by simple majority was performed by an independent authority.
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Constitution Act 1982. s. 35.
Acknowledgments
The author would like to thank the two anonymous referees for their helpful comments and the participants who supported the original research.
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Fidler, C. Increasing the sustainability of a resource development: Aboriginal engagement and negotiated agreements. Environ Dev Sustain 12, 233–244 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10668-009-9191-6
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10668-009-9191-6