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Mineral Resources Strategy – Environmental Contribution Scientific Recommendations from DCE and GINR

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Mineral Resources Strategy – environmental contribution Scientific recommendations from DCE and GINR Kalaallit Nunaanni uuliasiornernik aatsitassarsiornernillu periusissatut pilersaarut – avatangiisit pillugit tapiliut. DCE-mit Pinngortitaleriffimmiillu avatangiisinut tunngassuteqartunik innersuussutit eqikkarnerat Memo from DCE - Danish Centre for Environment and Energy - and the Greenland Institute of Natural Resources Date: 19 March 2019 Authors: Anders Mosbech1 David Boertmann1 Peter Aastrup1 Line A. hKy n1 Kim Gustavson1 Josephine Nymand2 1Department of Bioscience, Section for Arctic Environment 2Greenland Institute of Natural Resources Ordered by: The Environmental Agency for Mineral Resource Activities Number of pages: 75 Quality assurance, DCE: Kirsten Bang Internal review: Susse Wegeberg Greenland summary: Tupaarnaq Olsen and Emma Kristensen Translation to English: AdHoc Translations PINNGORTITALERIFFIK GREENLAND INSTITUTE OF NATURAL RESOURCES Table of Contents Preface 4 1 Summary and recommendations 5 1.1 Recommendations on strategic environmental impact assessments: Continue to build, communicate and operationalise knowledge 7 1.2 Recommendations regarding research aiming to further develop norms, standards and guidelines 8 1.3 Recommendations on further development of oil spill response and preparedness 8 1.4 Recommendation regarding heavy fuel oil (HFO) 9 1.5 Recommendations regarding further development of environmental monitoring 9 1.6 Recommendations regarding improved handling of accumulated effects and the way towards more ecosystem-based management 10 1.7 Recommendations regarding special areas and offshore oil exploration 11 1.8 Recommendations regarding small-scale activities 12 2 Eqikkaaneq innersuussutillu 13 2.1 Avatangiisit pillugit iliuuserineqartussatut nalilersuisarnernut tunngatillugu innersuussutit: Ilisimasanik annertusaajuarneq, paasissutissiineq kiisalu atoriaannaasunngorsaanerit 16 2.2 Ileqqut, malitassat najoqqutassiallu ineriartorteqqinneqarnissaat anguniarlugu ilisimatusarnikkut innersuussutit 17 2.3 Uuliakoortoqartillugu upalungaarsimaniarluni periusissat ineriartorteqqinnissannut innersuussutit 18 2.4 Uulia oqimaatsoq (HFO = Heavy Fuel Oil) pillugu innersuussutit 19 2.5 Avatangiisit nakkutigineqarneranni isumassatigut ineriartortitsinernut tunngatillugu innersuussutit 20 2.6 Pinngortitami sunniutit annertusiartortarnerisa iliuuseqarfigineqartarnerisalu pitsanngorsaaviginissaannik innersuussutit aammalu pinngortitami uumassuseqassutsit ataqatigiinnerat aallaaviginerullugu aqutseriaaseqariartuuaarnissamut aqqut 21 2.7 Sumiiffinnut immikkuullarissunut imaatigullu uuliamik ujaasinernut tunngatillugu innersuussutit 22 2.8 Annikitsumik misissuinissamik piiaanissamillu akuersissutinut tunngatillugu innersuussutit 23 3 Introduction 25 3.1 The scientific advisors – DCE and GINR 25 4 Background 28 4.1 Environmental impacts from mineral resource industry 28 4.1.1 Physical impacts 28 4.1.2 Disturbance of wildlife 30 4.1.3 Discharge and emission – pollution 31 4.1.4 Accidents 34 2 4.2 Past problems in connection with oil exploration and mining activities in Greenland 35 4.3 How do conditions other than mineral resource activities affect the Artic environment, nature and climate? 36 4.4 What knowledge has been built in Greenland on the impacts of mineral resource activities and how is it used? 38 5 Future knowledge-based regulation of mineral resource activities 41 5.1 Regulation of land-based activities 41 5.2 Regulation of offshore oil activities 45 5.3 Regulation of small-scale activities 45 5.4 Offshore regulation – underwater noise and oil spills 46 5.4.1 Underwater noise 47 5.4.2 Oil spill 50 5.5 Regulation of discharges and emissions 53 5.5.1 Mineral resource activities 53 5.5.2 Shipping 56 5.5.3 Recommendations in connection with release of pollutants 57 6 Appendices 58 6.1 Appendix 1. List of acronyms used in this memo. 58 6.2 Appendix 2. Memo on the use of heavy fuel oil in Greenland. 59 6.3 Appendix 3. Memo on some areas proposed to be kept free of hydrocarbon exploration activities (in Danish) 64 6.4 Appendix 4. Memo on strategic environmental impact assessments (in Danish) 67 6.5 Appendix 5. Memo on prioritation and costs of future updates and new strategic environmental impact assessments (in Danish) 71 6.6 Supplementary map 75 3 Preface The Environmental Agency for Mineral Resource Activities is the administrative unit responsible for the regulation of environmental, nature and climate conditions in connection with mineral resource activities in Greenland. This is done within the scope of the provisions of the Mineral Resources Act on environment, nature and climate protection. The overall purpose of the Mineral Resources Act is for all activities in the area to be carried out with due regard to the environment – and in accordance with recognised good international practice under similar conditions. Comprehensive and in-depth knowledge of environment and nature is required to meet this purpose. Already when the mineral resource exploration starts, we have to be able to asses the future environ- mental effects. How many birds and animals live in the area and how will they react to noise and disturbance? Which potential polluting compounds are bound in the rocky cliffs and will they be washed out if the cliffs are blasted and mined? Will any rivers or lakes be affected by dust from the industrial activities? What will happen to the local vegetation cover if roads have to be constructed? The mineral resource companies have an obligation to take account of, assess and uncover the envi- ronmental conditions. In this connection, the independent scientific advisors, help the Environmental Agency for Mineral Resource Activities, by providing the necessary background knowledge through their own research and studies. Moreover, they help ensure that the studies made by mineral resource companies are adequate and accurate to plan the activities properly and with due regard to the local conditions – and using methods that are in accordance with recognised good international practice. Finally, they help consider all applications for new licences, activities, etc. The scientific advisors also make recommendations to the Environmental Agency for Mineral Re- source Activities, which either makes decisions based on the recommendations or prepares decision- making proposals for Naalakkersuisut based on the recommendations. The division of responsibilities is clear. This is to ensure that the scientific consultancy work and the content of the recommendations are independent of administrative or political interests. As a result, these recommendations constitute an independent contribution to the future mineral resources strategy 2019-2023. Najaaraq Demant-Poort The Environmental Agency for Mineral Resource Activities 4 1 Summary and recommendations This report contains advice from Danish Centre for Environment and Energy (DCE) and Greenland Institute of Natural Resources (GINR) to the Environmental Agency for Mineral Resource Activities on the development of an environmental strategy for mineral resource activities in Greenland. The first chapters give a brief general introduction to the environmental issues and how they can be handled, whereas the following chapters describe more specifically how the challenges are handled through planning, rules and regulations, and activities are pointed out that can strengthen the efforts in the coming strategy period. The purpose of this background report is to point to development potential in the knowledge base and regulation which can ensure: • Minimisation of environmental effects from mineral resource activities. • That the environmental effects do not exceed the effects prescribed by international standards. • Consideration for special Arctic or Greenland conditions. • That no environmental effects occur other than those accepted by the authorities in their approval of the project, including that areas do not have or will not get environmental problems limiting the use of the areas after the exploitation of mineral resources. • That the environmental regulation is based on an adequate knowledge base, making it unnecessary to recommend stricter requirements due to lack of knowledge of the possible effects (the precautionary principle). Mineral resource activities (for more details, see Textbox 1) will necessarily impact nature and environment. Typically, it will be necessary to establish temporary industrial areas in connection with exploitation of mineral resources, whether it is mining or oil production. However, while opening up for development and industrialisation, environmental regulation and nature planning must ensure that the environmental and natural basis is not destroyed for current and future generations. With sufficient knowledge about e.g. process technology, geochemistry, ecotoxicology, biodiversity and ecological contexts, the environmental effects from a new mineral resource activity can be predicted and often limited significantly, especially outside the actual exploitation area. Focus must be on ensuring that the activity does not pollute the surrounding environment to an unacceptable degree, that nature is not disturbed unnecessarily and that the activity area is left in a good environmental condition once the activities have ended. In mineral resource projects, it is important to identify the total possible environmental effects already at the planning stage. Detailed planning and use of the best technology may significantly limit the
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