Problem overview:

     Awareness and visions: All it takes is awareness to change the course of our future. New Caledonia has experienced severe environmental damage from their mining industry. Nowadays, the old mining techniques are being replaced with the new ones, which ensures minimal impact to the environment.

     Policies and measures: New policies on mining emphasize the integration of environmental considerations in mining activities. Legislations on installing pollution abatement equipment are being enforced, along with re plantation of vegetation after mining is complete.

     Meeting information requirements: Technological discoveries that will help improve production capacity to not only be efficient economy wise, but also efficient in terms of pollution management is important for the sustainability of our future. This example demonstrates how New Caledonia has reversed the mining industry from an environmentally damaging industry to an environmental friendly industry.

Background in summary:

     Negative impact from mining: Mining represents a vital part of New Caledonia's economy. However, the obvious degradation of the landscape and coastal areas plus the air pollution from the mining, caused a serious drawback to the development of another prospective industry, tourism, as well as a danger to the natural environment of the island.

     The governments commitment: The government is committed to correcting environmental problems associated with mining activities. Although regulations have been in effect for 15 years, mine inspectors and environmental impact assessments have only been required since 1992.

     New mining techniques were introduced to abate the environmental impact of the mines:

• Mines must sculpt settlement basins and terraces to lessen or prevent sedimentation of the waterways and coastal areas.
  
  
• Road building into the mine sites must be limit to a minimum
  
  
• Surrounding vegetation must be maintained as an organic buffer zone around the mines and roads.
  
  
• After mining is complete, efforts must be made to re vegetate the sites.
  
  

     Continuous research and development for increase productivity/decrease pollution: A new Nepoui-Kopeto mining center was opened in 1994 to increase production capacity, modernise the mining process. The centre will help develop pollution control capabilities on mining sites and the Doniambo plant. Daily average production is expected to be 2,300 tonnes, increasing present production by an order of magnitude.

Peer Review Committee Good practice rating: (1 for the best, 5 for the lowest score)
Sustainability		Efficiency
2	Improvement in either the environment of economic condition with no harm to the other.	2	Cost efficient.
2	Sustainable over time (not one-off)	Process
Adaptability		-	Participation of the community
4	Location adaptability (can the project be done in other places?)	2	Participation of resource owners/users
2	Socio-cultural adaptability.	2	Partnerships between various actors (Governments, NGO, Academia, Private)
2	Level of development adaptability.	2	Degree of coordination and cooperation between government departments.
2	Style of government adaptability.	2	Ability to attract political interest/support
3	Degree of decentralization adaptability.	2	Procedures for feedback and review.
Comments on this example:   Sustainability of the project:      Policies and measures: This case of mining in New Caledonia has proven that effective preventative measures, if seriously implemented, could really result in pollution abatement without daunting economic development. One factor that has contributed to this success is government assistantship. The government has aided mining companies by providing them with technological support on new and more efficient mining techniques. With government support, mining companies do not feel like they have been impartially punished and left alone to manage the problem themselves. On the contrary, they would be willing to abide by the law and adopt new technologies for production efficiency, which would lead to low cost/high return, along with better public image.      Meeting information requirements: Another factor contributing to success is monitoring. Many sectors of the society, government, private, public, have been brought in to monitor mining activities and environmental conditions. Also, technological advancements, in this case adopting the satellite remote sensing system, has been brought in to make the monitoring process even more effective. Adaptability of the project to other situations:   Process of decision making and implementation:   Cost efficiency: