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This paper aims to inform
Armenia's policy dialogue on environmental and social
issues in the mining sector. The paper is based on the
premise that for the mining sector to have positive,
long-term impacts in Armenia, it is necessary to take into
consideration the short- and long-term environmental and
social impacts of the sector and to promote strategic
planning and efficient management of natural resources. The
mining sector in Armenia has yet to adopt global best
practices in this sector, and this paper aims to provide
guidance on some of the mechanisms that can be adopted to
improve the governance and overall impact of mining in the
country. The document is structured as follows: chapter one
presents an introduction to this thematic paper. Chapter two
provides an overview of the mining sector in Armenia,
including its underpinning institutional and regulatory
framework. It also singles out policy gaps and regulatory
inconsistencies that need to be addressed. Chapter three
presents some useful lessons of the application of Strategic
Environmental and Social Assessment (SESA) as a tool for
sustainable planning of mining development in the country.
This chapter also compares uses of an SESA versus
Environmental Impact Assessments and defines the need and
use of Cumulative Impact Assessment (CIA). Chapter four
describes the principles of valuation of natural capital as
a means to complement traditional cost-benefit analysis and
comparisons of development alternatives in the
decision-making process. Chapter five looks at the design
and implementation of benefit-sharing mechanisms to ensure
that the mining activities lead to positive social impacts
across the country. Chapter six looks at the process of
determining and dealing with the social costs of mining in
Armenia. Chapter seven provides a series of conclusions and
recommendations as well as implementation challenges that
will summarize the application of such recommendations in
present-day Armenia and its mining sector.
