|
|
|
|
RAPAPORT... The Alliance for Responsible Mining (ARM) and Fairtrade Labelling Organizations International (FLO) will focus on artisanal and small-scale miners as they continue to work toward establishing a set of standards for fairtrade certification of gold in 2009. The two organizations have partnered to assist communities involved in gold mining. ARM will provide the networks and expertise to run support and development programs for artisanal and small-scale miners, and FLO will provide opportunities for promoting market access through fairtrade certification.
“Artisanal and small-scale gold mining is an important livelihood for over 10 million people living in more than 70 developing countries,” the organizations explained in a joint press release on Friday. “Characterized by high levels of poverty, these activities have long-term environmental and health impacts for populations living in and around such operations.” The questions the two organizations are tackling include whether fairtrade labeling of gold will help address these conditions and create market access that will help transform the lives of small-scale miners and their communities.
ARM has developed a set of draft standards, which are currently being tested at nine pilot sites in Latin America. “The democratic organization of miners combined with increased financial returns from access to fairtrade markets would enable miner organizations to improve the environmental and working conditions at their mines, and also to develop community projects in education, health and economic diversification,” ARM and FLO reported. “This could lead to more enduring and sustainable development in mining communities.”
Looking ahead, the organizations said they would need to consult with FLO producer groups to ensure that conflicts between mining organizations and agricultural farmers are avoided. In 2009, they also plan to do further work on traceability systems for gold miners, and to work to ensure credible environmental implementation of the program by involving more organizations with specific environmental expertise.
The results of the next phase of work, including the final joint FLO and ARM standards for artisanal and small-scale gold mining, will be submitted to the boards of both organizations in mid-2009. If approved by both boards, this could pave the way for gold products carrying FLO's FAIRTRADE mark and ARM’s FAIRMINED mark to be available by 2010, the organizations reported.
NC
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Previous Item
| Back to List |
Next Item
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|