Canada Supports Sustainable Mining Practices for Clean Technologies

WASHINGTON, May 1, 2019 /CNW/ - With growing global demand for minerals and metals to develop cleaner technologies, Canada is a partner of choice thanks to our abundant natural resources and sustainable practices. The Government of Canada recognizes this opportunity and is committed to advancing climate-smart mining, at home and abroad.

Paul Lefebvre, Parliamentary Secretary to Canada's Minister of Natural Resources, the Honourable Amarjeet Sohi, today attended Minerals for Climate Action, the launching conference for the World Bank's Climate-Smart Mining Facility in Washington, D.C. and emphasized the role of Canadian minerals in providing the building blocks for clean technologies throughout the world.

During his visit, Parliamentary Secretary Lefebvre outlined Canada's support for sustainable mining, including the active sharing of best practices with mineral-rich developing countries and emerging economies, and other international partners. He also highlighted the World Bank's goal of advancing developing countries' sustainable mineral and metal extraction and processing.

Parliamentary Secretary Lefebvre participated in a panel session focused on reducing the material impacts associated with increased extractive and processing activities. He highlighted the government's ongoing efforts to advance innovation in the sector, such as Mining Value from Waste, Impact Canada's$10-million Crush It! Challenge and the Canadian Minerals and Metals Plan (CMMP).

The CMMP — developed in collaboration with provincial and territorial governments, Indigenous peoples, industry and civil society — is informed by a number of strategic directions for the future of the sector, one of which is the environment. The Plan includes a vision for the continual reduction of mining's environmental footprint; an economy where mine waste is transformed into useful products; better planning for mine closures and reclaimed mine sites; and systematic climate change adaptation planning.

Launched at the Minerals for Climate Action conference, the World Bank's Climate-Smart Mining Facility marks the first step in facilitating global innovation, knowledge sharing and learning on how best to operationalize climate-smart mining and support sustainable growth in the transition to a low-carbon economy. Canada looks forward to collaborating with the World Bank and other international partners to advance these shared priorities.

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"Governments must play a central role in facilitating the transition to a low-carbon economy and in encouraging climate-smart innovations. We look forward to continuing our work with international partners, including the World Bank, to advance climate-smart mining. Together, we can create the prosperity we all want while protecting the planet we all cherish."

Paul Lefebvre
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Natural Resources

Related Information

• The World Bank – Climate-Smart Mining: Minerals for Climate Action
• Impact Canada's Crush It! Challenge
• The Canadian Minerals and Metals Plan

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SOURCE Natural Resources Canada