Sustainable Mining: Getting Resettlement Right

Tuesday, June 16, 2015

Oxfam Australia and the Melbourne Business School, Asia Pacific Social Impact Leadership Centre Sustainable host the annual sustainable Mining Symposium.

 

This is an initial notification to request you ‘save the date’ – 13 October 2015, 8.30 – 4.30, Melbourne.

 

This year’s symposium is titled Sustainable Mining: Getting Resettlement Right.

 

It will provide practical information and stimulate discussion on the challenges and opportunities for companies and governments who resettle communities to make way for mining, oil and gas operations.

 

The World Bank has developed standards for Land Acquisition and Involuntary Resettlement, and many companies cite this as the ‘gold standard’. However, involuntary resettlement is a deeply complex and disruptive process that can result in hardship and impoverishment for affected communities. Livelihood restoration programs can and do fail, and companies and governments need to do more to ensure effective monitoring and oversight.

 

This symposium will draw on the experiences of companies, communities and civil society representatives to discuss practical ways to increase the likelihood of communities having better outcomes when resettled. The Symposium will be an opportunity to discuss Oxfam and the CSRM recent work on resettlement. You can access the report Mining, Resettlement and Lost Livelihoods at www.oxfam.org.au/resettlement.

 

Participants from large and small mining companies and investors are invited. A select number of academics, government representatives and community organisations will also be invited. The format is panel discussion and active engagement from the floor.

 

In order to encourage openness and sharing of information, the Symposium will be held under Chatham House Rules, and there will be no media present. There are limited places to encourage discussion, so save the date today.

 

Please register your interest in attending with Annie Wearne This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

 

For further information or if you have any questions on the content of the Symposium, please contact Chris Madden (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) or Serena Lillywhite This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

 

Foundation partners