The Solomon Islanders will learn how the mining industry is likely to impact on this country during a forum on mining organised by local leaders with assistance from The Nature Conservancy (TNC) from 11-13 November next week.
Development in the Solomon Islands has largely been focused on logging and fisheries, but now there is growing interest in large-scale mining across the country, especially nickel extraction.
While the mining sector offers opportunities for economic development, without adequate management it poses a direct and urgent threat to biodiversity, culture, livelihoods and social wellbeing.
Governments, local organizations and communities have limited experience of working with mining companies and very limited access to information about what mining might mean for them.
All have called for education on the industry and how they can minimize social and environmental impacts.
In response, Isabel Council of Chiefs, the Church of Melanesia and the Isabel Provincial government will host the mining forum, a first for the Solomons.
About 100 participants from communities across Isabel are expected to attend, along with national government representatives, leaders from Choiseul and Isabel provinces, mining companies, community based organizations and guest speakers from overseas.
Participants will learn about the mining process, the positive and negative impacts; landowner and community rights; experiences and lessons learned elsewhere, such as Australia and Papua New Guinea (PNG); and the current situation from the national government and mining companies.
The event will include questions to mining and government officials, as well as discussions on further action.
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