Extractive industry

Since the mid-2000s, the mining sector has been driving Mongolia's exports. However, while in recent years economic growth has been slowing down, the increased number of mining operations profoundly affects Mongolia's economic policies, social dynamics and environment.

In an era of market triumphalism, this book probes the social and environmental consequences of market-linked nature conservation schemes.

This joint report considers the role and impact of environmental factors in securing human safety and sustained development of the eastern Caspian Sea region, including the parts of Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan opening onto the Caspian Sea. Its analysis introduces a security perspective as it seeks to identify those environmental, socio-economic and political issues that are profoundly affecting the livelihoods of the populations and could lead to social tensions and instability.

World Heritage sites are examples of critical natural capital that must be protected. This report highlights the increasingly important and urgent role that banks need to play in helping to safeguard natural World Heritage sites now and for future generations. Banks have a unique responsibility to ensure that lending decisions are made on a sound and sustainable basis. 

The Small Arms Survey 2015: Weapons and the World examines the role of weapons and armed violence in humanity’s appropriation of the earth’s wildlife and mineral riches—in Africa, where the poaching of elephants and rhinos is becoming increasingly militarized, and near resource extraction sites around the world.

Despite being internationally recognised as being of "Outstanding Universal Value" and protected under the UNESCO World Heritage Convention, some of the world's most dazzling areas are under increasing threat from the extractives sector, in particular from commercial mining and oil and gas exploration companies. 

The report provides a global overview of the challenges facing indigenous peoples, and presents five case studies from Australia, Cambodia, Guinea, India and Suriname.

This report is part of a joint undertaking by IUCN and RWE to explore the possibility of integrating biodiversity values into RWE policies and practices. It was felt that a closer examination of the biodiversity management undertaken by RWE at the Hambach mining site during the past 35 years and the methods of the company's stakehodler engagement processes were needed.