In response to the social and environmental impact assessment (SEIA) conducted by QIT-Fer Madagascar Minerals (QMM), this article assesses whether it is possible for the mining company to live up to its claims of being able to provide environmentally sustainable and socially responsible mining in Madagascar.
The article finds that overall the SEIA:
- presents insufficient information to assess either the positive or negative impacts of the project
- provides insufficient information regarding problems that arise in the future will be solved
A large number of outstanding questions remain regarding information on the environmental and social impacts of the project and how these impacts would be mitigated:
- environmental issues, including outstanding questions on terrestrial issues, marine, aquatic and hydrological issues, and the long-term impacts of the project
- social issues, including outstanding questions on the movement and displacement of people, health, cultural issues, the consultation process and local economic and employment issues
The article recommends that a more complete assessment is needed, including attention to:
- identifying and discussing irreversible impacts, such as the loss of biodiversity
- identifying how future consultations will be integrated into the mining operation
- what methods and indicators will be used to monitor the impact of the project, and how this information may be used to mitigate those impacts
- the level of involvement in, and access to monitoring information by the local population, government and NGOs