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Author / Organization
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Dr Peter Claver Acquah, Executive Director, Environmental
Protection Council, Ghana, for United Nations Conference
on Trade Development 1996
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Document
Description
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A case study of natural resource management and sustainable
development in the gold sector of the West African nation
of Ghana. This document sets out the main environmental
and socio-economic impacts of gold mining (including water
pollution , land degradation and effects on coastal and
marine resources). A desciption of the impacts of mining
is followed by a review and assessment of the Governments
environmental policies, strategies and a description of
the practical and institutional issues experienced in
applying environmental policies.
The main aim of Ghana's environmental policy is to improve
the surroundings, living conditions and quality of life
for the entire citizenry, both present and future. With
this aim environmental protection is guided by the preventative
approach ie recognition that socio-economic developments
must be undertaken in such a way as to avoid the creation
of environmental problems. In this light a Environmental
Impact Assessment (EIA) is a prerequisite for gold mining
leases for concession areas over 10 hectares. The EIA
includes an environmental action plan and a final land
use plan when mining operations cease. Ghana uses the
"bottom-up" approach towards environmental management,
District Assemblies are asked to implement the environmental
policies. This document provides a useful review of how
a nation has approached issues of socioeconomic development
and the environment in it's own socioeconomic and cultural
context with specific reference to the gold sector, it's
leading foreign exchange earner.
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