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Investors and purchasers of metals and minerals must take the remedies seriously There is a need to address the historical and ongoing damages of the mining sector. The industry has failed to provide remedies. This was heard during an Investing in Mining Indaba 2025 session zooming into the possibility of a just energy transition and getting better at remedies. Forming part of the panell were Jan Morrill, Mining Programme Co-Director, Earthworks; Johannes Danz, Project Coordinator, Raw Materials and Human Rights, Mercedes-Benz AG; and Melanie Jacques, Partner, Leigh Day. The panellists emphasised the importance of transparency about the impact of mining. Morrill stated that mining companies have to acknowledge responsibility for the harm they create. “We need to identify who’s capable, and communities need to be engaged; they need to have access to independent technical experts who can educate them about the impact of mining,” she said. Opportunity moment for mining sector to get the transition right The attendees heard that governments need to pass and enforce regulations that prevent harm from occurring including strong air and water quality requirements, human rights safeguards and indigenous people’s rights. “Governments can make sure that there are avenues for sanctions in place to hold mining companies to account when harms do occur,” she said. The sessions heard that mining companies need to improve their grievance mechanisms, make sure that they have information in place to understand the harm that they are causing, and need to engage impacted communities in the solutions and remedies to address the harms. The panellists stated that investors and purchasers of metals and minerals must take the remedies seriously and engage in order to ensure that suitable and effective remedies that include communities are implemented. “There’s a lot that needs to happen to get to a just energy transition in mining. We are poised to repeat the mistakes of the past if we don’t make significant changes, but we are at an opportune moment where if we really look and change the systems that have been in place, we can move forward in a way that doesn’t repeat the harms of the past,” said Morril. |
