Our Environment - Mining and the Environment: From Ore to Metal - page 309

Earth's life support systems, e.g. carbon sequestration, soil formation, purification of water,
or coastal protection by dunes or mangroves.
Another example of economic values is the importance of biodiversity in agriculture
in which biodiversity is often essential for pollination of commercially valuable crops and
biological control of pests and diseases.
Social values relate to the importance of biodiversity for employment, health, quality of life,
social security, and appreciation. In many cultures and societies, all or some components of
biodiversity have 'intrinsic' value in their own right, irrespective of any material contribution
to human wellbeing. Biodiversity is then a source of spiritual and religious enrichment and
well-being, the intrinsic values . Perhaps most important of all, biodiversity is the basis for evo-
lution and adaptation to changing environments, making it essential for survival of life.
As is evident from the discussion of bio-geography, some habitats, ecosystems and bio-
geographic provinces are far more diverse (and valuable) than others. Areas of important
biodiversity are defined by IAIA (2005) as those that:
●

Some habitats, ecosystems and
bio-geographic provinces are far
more diverse (and valuable) than
others.

Support endemic, rare, declining habitats/species/genotypes.

●

Support genotypes and species whose presence is a prerequisite for the persistence of
other species.

●

Act as a buffer, linking habitat or ecological corridor, or play an important part in
maintaining environmental quality.

●

Have important seasonal uses or are critical for migration.

●

Support habitats, species populations, ecosystems that are vulnerable, threatened
throughout their range and slow to recover.

●

Support particularly large or continuous areas of previously undisturbed habitat.

●

Act as refugia for biodiversity during climate change, enabling persistence and con-
tinuation of evolutionary processes.

●

Support biodiversity for which mitigation is difficult or its effectiveness unproven
including habitats that take a long time to develop characteristic biodiversity.

●

Are currently poor in biodiversity but have potential to develop high biodiversity with
appropriate intervention.

CASE 7.5
Mining and Forest Destruction - Fact or Fantasy?

Mining is often singled out as the main cause of for-
est loss, an accusation that contradicts public data. Forest
clearing to allow agriculture by far outweighs all other
activities combined that contribute to rainforest loss.
That said, environmental impacts are site-specifi c and a

particular mine may in fact destroy valuable forest areas,
even so, on average, this is not the case.

The ten most forest-rich countries account for two-thirds of
the Earth's forest area: Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, the
Democratic Republic of the Congo, India, Indonesia, Peru, the
Russian Federation, and the United States of America. The
total natural forest area is annually reduced by about 14.6
million hectares, an area of the size of England (House
of Common 2006). From the remaining forest areas only
12% lies in protected areas. More than half of all logging
takes place in vulnerable forests in SE Asia (in particular
Indonesia), Central and South America (in particular Brazil),
Russia, and Africa. Logging at current rates in
some of the world's most pristine habitats, such as
Indonesian Papua and Papua New Guinea, is predicted to
destroy their forests and habitats in as little as ten years
from now.

Source of Graphic: European Aluminium Association
( www.eaa.net )

Reason for Loss of Rainforest

Migrating Agriculture
Cattle Raising
Agriculture
Forestry
Permanent Cultures
Industry

45%
24%
18%
6%
4%
3%