We are experiencing a window of opportunity to develop a new way of operating
A extraction Brazil has great potential to increase its production capacity and generate more income, jobs and social integration. The sector occupies a vital position in the economy, accounting for 4% of the total Gross Domestic Product (GDP)and employs nearly 2.5 million people. Last year it collected R$86.2 billion in taxes.
Estimated investments for the next five years amount to R$250 billion, but could be even higher in the future due to demand for energy transition minerals, such as copper, nickel AND lithium. We are, in fact, experiencing a window of opportunity for the development of a new way of operating, more sustainable, innovative and safe, which satisfies the desires of society, reducing the impacts inherent to the activity.
It is important to underline, on the other hand, that mining is closely linked to local communities, often located in remote and isolated areas. Over the years, this relationship has begun to require open and transparent dialogue, long-term social commitments and rewards and better socio-environmental performance of companies.
In 2019, the Brazilian Mining Institute (Ibram) publicly launched a letter of commitment taking on a series of actions aimed at transparency of activities and increasing listening and dialogue. The positive data, coming from a recent Ibram study, show that, of the 15 municipalities that collected the most royalties in 2022, 10 had a Human Development Index (HDI) higher than that of their respective states. This is still not much, because in many of these cities there are large pockets of poverty.
Brazil is back on the hunger map and mining must play an important role in the fight against inequalities. In 2020, Vale committed to removing 500,000 people from extreme poverty in our country by 2030. The first implemented projects have already mapped approximately 20,000 people in four states.
We are developing a methodology to prioritize communities around operations, considering risks, impacts and managing relationships. In 2022, 1,532 communities considered priorities were mapped to create an engagement plan aimed at improving people’s living conditions.
The challenges are many, but mining, with all its economic potential, has already demonstrated that it has the full capacity to contribute to the development of a new low-carbon economy in Brazil, combining environmental protection, job creation work and social justice.
Eduardo Bartolomeo is president of Vale.
Source: Terra
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