Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Others
Other interested parties to a project include inl uential individuals, employees, customers,
and consultants or engineers involved in some parts of the project. Academics may also
demonstrate interest in particular aspects of a mining project.
Inl uential individuals may include large landowners, business owners, local govern-
ment ofi cials, and formal or informal community leaders, including religious leaders.
Communication with all these parties is essential to ensure that they are properly informed
about the project, and that they are afforded the opportunity to participate in the commu-
nity involvement process.
The role of consultants and engineers must not be underestimated. The owner will
appoint a project team to evaluate the deposit, to identify the key issues (technical, eco-
nomic, and environmental) and to determine the best way of addressing them. The project
team usually consists of a core team with consultants or engineering companies appointed
to address specii c issues as required.
Members of the environmental study team are often recruited from local universities
to benei t from local knowledge. The employment of local academics also helps to estab-
lish the mining company as a member of the local or regional community, reducing the
impression of newcomers and intruders. It demonstrates the commitment of the propo-
nent to channel benei ts to the local community from the very beginning of a mine project.
However, if environmental impact assessment studies are written for an international
audience, local academics often lack the relevant experience, and assistance from interna-
tional consultancies will become desirable if not essential.
The employment of local
academics also helps to
establish the mining company
as a member of the local or
regional community, reducing the
impression of newcomers and
intruders.
3.4 HOW TO IDENTIFY STAKEHOLDERS?
Stakeholder identii cation is context-specii c and what works for one project may not be
appropriate for another. Stakeholders are initially identii ed during the screening stage of
environmental assessment. The scoping study provides an opportunity to ensure that all rele-
vant stakeholders are identii ed. It is important for the mining company to be comprehensive
in identifying and prioritizing stakeholders that are genuinely directly or indirectly affected
by the project. Subsequently it is important to augment this list with all other stakeholders.
Participation specialists distinguish three ways of identifying different interest groups
(Ortolano 1997): self identii cation, staff identii cation, and third party identii cation.
In self identii cation, individuals and groups come forward as a result of publicity by the
proponent conducting the participation programme. These are 'active' responses and indi-
viduals who pro-actively open a dialogue should be kept continually informed of the mine's
progress. In staff identii cation, government or company personnel learn from past experi-
ence, supplemented by local inquiry, the names of individuals and groups that might be
interested in becoming involved. International anti-mining advocacies and their local coun-
terparts are included. Third party identii cation can be achieved by asking those already
involved about other individuals or groups that should be sought out. As each person
becomes involved, they are asked to suggest others, until the response becomes minimal.
Another good way to identify stakeholders who should be involved in the consultation
processes is to start by asking questions (World Bank 1999):
●
It is important for the mining
company to be comprehensive
in identifying and prioritizing
stakeholders that are genuinely
directly or indirectly affected by
the project.
Who might be affected by the development?
●
Who owns the land?
Who owns the land?
●
Who are the 'voiceless' for whom special efforts may have to be made?
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