UNESCAP
assists Myanmar in formulating Environmental Policy and Guidelines for
the Mining Industry
Gold panning at the Thabeikkyin Gold Mine, north of
Mandalay
Photo by Craig McKiernan, UNESCAP consultant
In
response to a request from the Government of Myanmar, the UNESCAP
provided advisory services assistance to the Ministry of Mines and the National Commission for Environmental Affairs of Myanmar to facilitate
the future development of environmental standards and regulations for
the mining sector of Myanmar, and to develop cost effective and environmentally friendly methods of gold recovery. Relevant
background information
on the minerals sector and environmental regulations of Myanmar were
reviewed and an advisory mission to twelve small and medium-sized gold
mines and the Monywa copper mine in Central and Northern Myanmar was
fielded by two UNESCAP consultants from Australia from 26 January to 6
February 2003.
The advisory mission to Myanmar examined the existing national legal and regulatory framework for environmental protection in
the mining sector, assessed the adequacy of and institutional capacity to administer the existing
environmental laws and pollution control
standards in the mining sector of Myanmar, and provided recommendations
in adopting cleaner production methods to mitigate environmental impacts,
particularly in the realms of mercury usage, mine planning, tailings
management and water quality management. A proposed list
of environmental
provisions for consideration under Myanmar’s environmental and mines laws
and regulations was provided together with an example of a similar approach
from another developing country.
Other major recommendations included follow up advisory services to
facilitate the development of the proposed environmental regulations and standards for the mining
industry in Myanmar, organization of a National Environmental Management
Awareness Training Workshop in Myanmar; and the convening of a regional
meeting on environmental regulations and standards in the mining sector.
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