In which conversations should community stakeholders be involved?

Authors: Joiner, R; Brereton, J Download Paper Open access courtesy of:

DOI https://doi.org/10.36487/ACG_repo/2415_17

Cite As:
Joiner, R & Brereton, J 2024, 'In which conversations should community stakeholders be involved?', in AB Fourie, M Tibbett & G Boggs (eds), Mine Closure 2024: Proceedings of the 17th International Conference on Mine Closure, Australian Centre for Geomechanics, Perth, pp. 255-262, https://doi.org/10.36487/ACG_repo/2415_17



Abstract:
‘Mine closure is more than a managerial-technical-engineering aspect within the lifecycle of a mine. It is a social episode in the lives of individuals, households, families, communities and local governments.’ (Chaloping-March 2008). A just transition recognises the need to address social concerns and inequities emerging from efforts to address environmental problems (Snell 2018). It has been defined as ‘ensuring that no one is left behind or pushed behind in the transition to low-carbon and environmentally sustainable economies and societies’ (United Nations 2023). In mine closure and rehabilitation planning, this means addressing the social concerns and inequities emerging from the environmental problems arising for the stakeholders and communities co-located with a mine at the end of its life. With the energy transition underway, ‘the question of how to engage communities as stakeholders in the decision-making process and address their needs through an equitable and just transition remains unresolved’ (Tarekegne et al. 2022). Meaningful, responsive, place-based community engagement is part of the answer. But what conversations should the community be involved in? Community engagement has been defined as a planned process to support decision-making which encourages people to get involved in decisions that are of interest to, and impact on, them. At times, statutory compliance and corporate responsibilities dictate a mine operator’s community engagement work. At other times, social responsibility; environmental, social and governance imperatives; community expectations; and other external pressures will guide this work. This paper discusses the value of responding to local communities and employing place-based approaches to determine what conversations communities should be involved in and how. In this paper, Latrobe Valley is used as a case study to explore these topics.

Keywords: social impact, community engagement, community consultation, Latrobe Valley, open cut mines, rehabilitation planning, just transition

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