We are so grateful for your support as we celebrate the promise of a brand new year! Here's to 12 months of mission-driven action to advance SDSG's vision of a future where resource development respects human rights; aligns with the economic and social objectives of local communities; and protects the natural environment.

In these early days of 2021 we want to share with you some new publications and initiatives. Thank you for being with us on this journey to a more sustainable future. Cheers to you and the opportunities of this new year!

We're pleased to announce publication of a new report by SDSG and Colorado School of Mines, Case Study: Peru's Environmental and Social Management in the Gold Mining Sector in the Midst of the COVID-19 Pandemic, now available here.

The case study provides an overview of Peru's environmental and social management during the pandemic, covering large-scale, artisanal and small-scale, informal, and illegal gold mining in Peru. It presents impacts on workers and communities, including disproportionate impacts on Indigenous communities, women, and children. The report concludes with nine recommendations for improving environmental and social management during the COVID-19 pandemic and future emergencies. Check it out on GOXI and let us know what recommendations you would add!

SDSG's Kristi Disney Bruckner contributed to a recent New Tech, New Deal Mongolia Study that looks at the impacts of new technology in the mining sector on sustainable development. "Study findings show that technological advancements in the mining sector are helping create equal opportunities in the sector for women and men," Bruckner said at the study launch. New technologies can also be utilized to protect scarce water resources, improve speed of communication and response to community concerns, and reduce occurrence of occupational health and safety accidents at mine sights. However, new technologies also require significant shifts in employment, training, and sourcing that must be carefully managed to optimize local development opportunities.

The New Tech, New Deal Project is a partnership between the Intergovernmental Forum on Mining, Minerals, Metals and Sustainable Development (IGF), the Columbia Center on Sustainable Investment (CCSI), and Mining Shared Value. Mongolia's Council for Sustainable Development and Social Responsibility (CSS) led the Mongolia study, based on in-country interviews with almost 50 key stakeholders representing national and local government bodies, mining companies and suppliers, industry and labor groups, local communities, civil society organizations, and research and academic institutions. Read Montsame Mongolia's coverage of the report launch here.

SDSG partnered with the IGF, Colorado School of Mines, and the Transparency International Accountable Mining program to facilitate an online dialogue on GOXI, an information-sharing platform focused on governance of extractive industries.

The objective of the dialogue, Environmental and Social Impact Assessment and Management in Mining: Good Practices and Innovation Through the COVID-19 Pandemic, was to enhance public discussion, access to informative materials, and clarity around environmental and social governance, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. It featured case studies and facilitation by international experts, including SDSG's Kristi Disney Bruckner. Examples were provided from the recent IGF publication Guidance for Governments: Improving Legal Frameworks for Environmental and Social Impact Assessment and Management, co-authored by Bruckner with contributions from SDSG's Ashley Smith-Roberts, Luke Danielson, and a team of SDSG interns and fellows. The Executive Summary of the guidance document is now available here in English, French, and Spanish, with the full document now available here in English, French, and Spanish.

The dialogue focused on three topics:

You may access archives of the dialogue here. This dialogue will inform further work with IGF to develop good practice case studies and educational materials on legal frameworks for ESIA and related management frameworks for IGF Member Countries. Check out the dialogue on GOXI today!