Routledge Handbook of the Extractive Industries and Sustainable Development

The Routledge Handbook of the Extractive Industries and Sustainable Development provides a cutting-edge, comprehensive overview of current trends, challenges and opportunities for metal and mineral production and use, in the context of climate change and the United Nations Sustainable Development Agenda 2030.

Minerals and metals are used throughout the world in manufacturing, construction, infrastructure, production of electronics and consumer goods. Alongside this widespread use, extraction and processing of mineral resources take place in almost every nation at varying scales, both in developing countries and major developed nations. The chapters in this interdisciplinary handbook examine the international governance mechanisms regulating social, environmental and economic implications of mineral resource extraction and use. The original contributions, from a range of scholars, examine the relevance of the mining industry to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), reviewing important themes such as local communities Indigenous peoples, gender equality and fair trade, showing how mining can influence global sustainable development. The chapters are organised into three sections: Global Trends in Mineral Resources Consumption and Production; Technology, Minerals and Sustainable Development; and Management of Social, Environmental and Economic Issues in the Mining Industry.

This handbook will serve as an important resource for students and researchers of geology, geography, earth science, environmental studies, engineering, international development, sustainable development and business management, among others. It will also be of interest to professionals in governmental, international and non-governmental organisations that are working on issues of resource governance, environmental protection and social justice.

"This Handbook could not have come at a more opportune moment, when humankind faces the vital challenge of urgently creating climate-neutral and sustainable economic systems. Reliable and unhindered access to mineral raw materials is crucial to meet this challenge, and the authors guide readers across the many aspects of extracting and using natural resources, without running from sensitive issues like environmental, social and ethical implications?a must-read for those willing to drive sustainable development."
Vitor Correia, Past-President of the European Federation of Geologists and Secretary-General of the International Raw Materials Observatory.

"It?s about time! The grand challenge ahead for society to move from talking about decarbonization to actually making a sustainable world is how do you materially make it happen. The science and engineering have advanced to make much of vision of a sustainable society conceivable. The public discourse is moving towards a vision of such a future. But can we physically have the materials wherewithal to make it happen? Natalia Yakovleva and Edmund Nickless have brought together the leading minds to demonstrate this is not just a technical issue, nor is it just a social issue, but rather part of a complex ecosystem to enable us to meet the raw material needs in a sustainable way. The technical challenges and solutions are well documented in the handbook, but most importantly, the social science contributors address how this is not just a simple technical problem, but one that the social and human factors overprint, and often drive the successful implementation of developing raw materials not just for a sustainable future, but as a sustainably-aware process itself. This handbook brings all of the tools to transform the broader conversation of raw materials to the next level of actualization we need for a genuinely sustainable future."
Christopher M. Keane, Director, Geoscience Profession & Higher Education, American Geosciences Institute, Virginia, United States of America.

"Over the next two decades we will see dramatic changes in the requirements and supply of raw materials as we change our behaviours with respect to energy consumption and transport and their underpinning resources. This Routledge Handbook is an essential text for anyone in the minerals industry including, scientists, engineers, or economists and financial managers, and those concerned with the social aspects of the extractives industries."
John Ludden CBE, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, UK, President of the International Union of Geological Sciences, IUGS.

"The Routledge Handbook of Extractive Industries and Sustainable Development, edited by Edmund Nickless and Natalia Yakovleva, challenges readers to take a systems view of the resource crisis that is developing in response to society?s move to a more sustainable, decarbonised economy. The Handbook acknowledges the gaps in understanding and lack of consensus around the role of the extractive industries in sustainable development. However, by bringing together such a diverse set of emerging and established authors, topics and viewpoints the Handbook itself fills a significant gap and provides a solid platform from which to initiate future dialogue for cooperative progress on this pressing issue."
Murray W. Hitzman, Director, Irish Centre for Research in Applied Geosciences (iCRAG), University College, Dublin, Ireland.

"A critical and timely guide full of important information for industry practitioners who continuously grapple with building a positive relationship between the extractives industry and the society through the lens of sustainable development."
Melba Kapesa Wasunna, External Affairs Manager, Base Titanium Ltd, Kenya.

"This Handbook is a one-stop shop to understand contemporary questions related to the life cycle of minerals, metals, and energy resources. It brings together authors with extensive experience in their respective fields covering critical technical, social, economic, environmental and governance topics related to the sector. The Handbook is relevant for its breadth and for discussing important issues related to the extractive industries' past, present and future challenges and opportunities. It also points to directions on how the sector can contribute to the betterment of societies. It is a valuable resource for academics, practitioners, managers and policy-makers."
André Xavier, Norman B. Keevil Institute of Mining Engineering, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.