Strategic Environmental Assessment for the Central Namib Uranium Rush
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Minisinistry of Mines and Energy Geologicogical Survey of Namibia (GSN) Bundesanstalt fürr GGeowissenschaften und Rohstoffee (B(BGR, Federal nstitutee forfo Geosciences and Natural Resourcources) Stratetegic Environmentalal Assessmssment for the centralal Nammib Uranium Rush MMain Report Final Report: January 2011 Prepared by: Southern Africrican Institute for Environmental Assessment Project Execution: Southern African Institute for Environmental Assessment (SAIEA) Financial Support: The German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, through the Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources Project Management: Dr Rainer Ellmies, BGR-GSN-Project of Technical Cooperation Project Coordination: Dr Gabi Schneider, Director of the Geological Survey of Namibia, and Dr Rainer Ellmies, BGR-GSN-Project of Technical Cooperation, Ministry of Mines and Energy. Private Bag 13297, Windhoek, Namibia © Ministry of Mines and Energy 2010 Citation MME (2010). Strategic Environmental Assessment for the central Namib Uranium Rush. Ministry of Mines and Energy, Windhoek, Republic of Namibia. Additional Information Dr Gabi Schneider Dr Rainer Ellmies Geological Survey of Namibia BGR-GSN-Project of Technical Cooperation Ministry of Mines and Energy Ministry of Mines and Energy Private Bag 13297 Private Bag 13297 Windhoek Windhoek Namibia Namibia [email protected] [email protected] Dr Peter Tarr Southern African Institute for Environmental Assessment P.O.Box 6322 Ausspannplatz Windhoek Namibia [email protected] Foreword By any standards, this is an impressive SEA. The report complies fully with the Terms of Reference and the SEA used an excellent process that was specifically designed and tailored – of necessity - to address the unusual challenge of the Uranium Rush. The SEA followed internationally accepted principles of good SEA practice and incorporated standard elements and steps. Stakeholder participation is a key principle of SEA good practice and this was well organized and conducted. The likely impacts of the Uranium Rush are presented in a clear and thorough way, presenting both likely negative impacts and potential positive benefits. The report presents sound recommendations, plausible scenarios and a comprehensive Strategic Environmental Management Plan (SEMP). This comprises a comprehensive set of measures and recommendations to manage and monitor the impacts of the Uranium Rush in Namibia, and to enhance opportunities and mitigate adverse impacts. It will help guide decision-making about uranium prospecting and mining and related development activities. The independent reviews of both the first and final drafts made a wide range of recommendations to improve the document - most of which have been addressed in this final report. Key ones included: Tightening up the Environmental Quality Objectives (EQOs), and associated targets and indicators in the SEMP – to facilitate its implementation; Analysing conflicts between the objectives of different laws, policies and regional/local plans to indicate where these are likely to supported or impeded by the likely impacts of the Uranium Rush; Better addressing cumulative effects; More explicitly addressing the linkages and interactions between thematic issues; Articulating impacts in terms of their magnitude/extent where possible, or quantitatively where this is problematic; Addressing the sustainable development implications and opportunities. The review also made a number of suggestions for additional work - going beyond the terms of reference – which would help to better implement the SEMP and maximize the opportunities to Namibia arising from the Uranium Rush. For example, the terms of reference limited the SEA to Namibia’s Erongo region. However, it would benefit Namibia to commission a limited study to address the wider issues that arise in the country and Southern Africa. Secondly, some analysis would be useful of the economic values of the linkage effects (positive and negative) described in the report. The Uranium Rush is a dynamic phenomenon and the situation in Erongo has continued to change throughout the SEA process. In response to this, many of the ideas and conclusions emerging from the SEA process have already been picked up and acted on. So the SEA has already proved very successful and effective. The challenge of managing the future remains. Dr Barry Dalal-Clayton (External Reviewer) International Institute for Environment and Development, London, UK. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ES-1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Introduction Mining for various minerals has been ongoing in the central Namib since 1901, with the first uranium mine, Rössing, being commissioned in 1976 and the Navachab Gold Mine starting up in 1989. In addition, numerous small mines for tin, semi-precious stones, copper, rare earths and dimension stone have commenced at various times over the past century only to close down a few years later. Over the past 30 years, prospecting for uranium has occurred at a relatively low intensity, but this changed recently when it was estimated that the global supplies of both primary and secondary uranium would be unlikely to meet projected nuclear reactor requirements world-wide in the short- term (next five years). These concerns about uranium supplies could result in uranium prices rising. This favourable outlook has triggered renewed interest in uranium exploration, with 36 exploration licences for nuclear fuels being granted in the central part of the Erongo Region (central Namib)1 by 2007 (Figure 1). This sudden scramble for prospecting rights in the central Namib resulted in the Namibian government placing a moratorium on further uranium prospecting licences in 2007. This was to ensure that the authorities and other stakeholders could consider how best to manage the “Uranium Rush”. The most useful tool to do this is a Strategic Environmental Assessment, which allows decision-makers to integrate the full spectrum of environmental2 considerations within the planning process. Thus in 2009, the Southern African Institute for Environmental Assessment (SAIEA) was contracted by the Government of the Republic of Namibia, with funding provided by the German Government through the German-Namibian Technical Cooperation Project of the German Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources (BGR) and the Geological Survey of Namibia (GSN), to undertake a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) for the so-called “central Namib Uranium Rush”. Mindful of the legislative and policy gaps on uranium mining and radiation protection in Namibia, the strong emphasis on sustainability being exerted by global players such as the Mining and Minerals Sustainable Development Project and the World Nuclear Association, and the lack of a coherent development vision in the Erongo Region, the Terms of Reference required the SEA to deliver the following: • Develop and assess viable scenarios of mining and associated developments as a basis for subsequent decision-making and formal planning. • Provide recommendations on accepted strategic approaches for sustainable mining development in the Erongo Region. • Provide guidance for overall solutions on crucial (cumulative) impacts and challenges stemming from the mining operations. • Outline a Strategic Environmental Management Plan (SEMP). 1 The ‘central Namib’ forms part of the Erongo Region, one of the administrative regions of Namibia. Most of the uranium mining interests are located in the central Namib (Figure 1). 2 Note that the term ‘environment’ encompasses all aspects of the biological, physical, social and economic environments. SEA OF THE CENTRAL NAMIB URANIUM RUSH EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ES-2 The SEA provides a big picture overview and advice on how to avoid negative cumulative impacts, as well as how to enhance opportunities and benefits within the uranium sector and between mining and other industries. It provides practical, outcomes-based tools for achieving best practice – some of these based on what is already being done in the Namib by current operators. It also proposes ways in which the operators in the industry can collaborate to achieve a common approach towards long term management and monitoring – in some cases well beyond the life of individual mines (e.g. aquifer monitoring, tailings dam maintenance, etc.). This is useful even for existing mines, but even more valuable for those mining companies that have not yet started their operation. Through this SEA and the implementation of the Strategic Environmental Management Plan (SEMP), it is hoped that the ‘Namib Uranium Province’ will be a living example of how mining can contribute significantly to the achievement of sustainable development. Figure ES-1: Uranium EPLs in the central Namib (Erongo Region) SEA OF THE CENTRAL NAMIB URANIUM RUSH EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ES-3 Environmental context The Erongo Region (Figure 1) is characterised by its aridity, vast desert landscapes, scenic beauty, high biodiversity and endemism and heritage resources. It has the second largest economy in Namibia, with fishing, tourism, mining and transportation being the main economic activities. Walvis Bay is the second largest town in the country with a population of over 43,000. Swakopmund, located on the coast some 30 km north of Walvis Bay, is the fifth largest town with a population of nearly 24,000 (figures from 2001). However, the population of Swakopmund swells considerably during the holidays and peak tourism seasons due to its popularity. Large parts of the Region, especially along