Involving the Public - Mining and the Environment: From Ore to Metal - page 148

of support from local communities will eventually turn into outright opposition to the
project, and may lead to legal disputes, delays, social unrest, and to long-term security risks
and negative publicity. Effective public involvement reduces these project risks and conse-
quently reduces project costs. In addition to these project benei ts, public involvement will
enhance social benei ts for the community. This in return will help to build and expand
local support for the project, further reducing i nancial risks.
The Committee on the Challenges of Modern Society (1995) has summarized the ben-
ei ts of public involvement as: (1) increased quality of decisions; (2) reduction in costs and
delays; (3) achievement of transparency of decisions and commitment to decisions; and (4)
avoidance of public controversy and confrontation.
ADB (2005) argues that the information gained through public consultation on the
stakeholders' concerns, interests, and their ability to inl uence decision-making, helps iden-
tify key causes of environmental problems. This can be used in the environmental impact
assessment to evaluate direct and indirect environmental impacts, and assess short-term and
long-term resource use implications. According to the ADB, input from local communities
and NGOs can also help the evaluation of alternatives and strengthen environmental miti-
gation measures by incorporating local knowledge. Informed host communities will better
understand the tradeoffs between project benei ts and disadvantages; be able to contribute
meaningfully to the mine design; and will develop greater trust and support.

Informed host communities will
better understand the tradeoffs
between project benefi ts
and disadvantages; be able to
contribute meaningfully to the
mine design; and will develop
greater trust and support.

The Dangers of Public Involvement

While there are clear benei ts in public involvement, there are also risks. The way in
which public participation is conducted is often a source of conl ict in itself. Stakeholder
groups, when the outcomes of the process do not correspond with their desired outcomes,
are likely to attack the project and the public participation process itself. The process was
either too long or too short; there was too little time to comment, or too much; the process
provided too little or too much confusing information; the public participation was biased;
the consultants and engineers cannot claim to be independent because they are being paid
for by the company; and so on. It is for these reasons that it is important to build checks
and balances into the public participation process. Everybody involved should be encour-
aged to thoughtfully analyze the importance of disputed issues, the interests of other par-
ties, and the alternatives that other parties offer. This, of course, is easier said than done.
For instance, anti-mining activists often l atly refuse to even attend meetings to discuss
controversial issues. And 'compromise' is not part of their agenda.
However, the main risk of early public involvement is in creating unrealistic demands
and expectation. Clear and consistent communication in describing what the project can
deliver in benei ts (and what not) helps to avoid this pitfall. It is particularly dangerous
to overstate benei ts to gain consensus or to make promises that later cannot be fuli lled.
If the company employs external consultants for public consultation or public relations,
it must maintain overall responsibility throughout the consultation process. The commu-
nity will not differentiate between consultant and mining company, and promises made by
consultants are essentially perceived as promises made by the company. In short, the min-
ing company needs to manage external consultants and contractors carefully.
Finally, there is the real risk that information relating to a mine proposal will lead to
land speculation. In many developing countries, clear and documented land owner-
ship does not exist, allowing false or unjustii ed land claims. Entrepreneurs are attracted
and speculate on increasing land value. The best safeguard against land speculation is a
detailed census of land ownership at the very beginning of the project. This includes an

The way in which public
participation is conducted is
often a source of confl ict in itself.

There is the real risk that
information relating to a mine
proposal will lead to land
speculation.