Environmental reporting Managing the impacts of extractive activities Public concern about environmental issues linked to the extractive industries has intensified over the past 20 years. While the EITI Principles emphasise that natural resource wealth should be an engine for sustainable economic growth, early iterations of the EITI Standard lacked a framework for reporting on the environmental impacts of extractive activities. In 2017, a review by the EITI International Secretariat found that at least 28 countries had gone beyond the EITI Standard to report on environmental issues in response to local concerns. In parallel to this work, civil society groups increasingly called on the EITI to do more to shed light on environmental aspects, including preservation of civic space for environmental campaigners. At the same time, some stakeholders emphasised that the EITI should not extend its mandate into areas already covered by other international agreements and national bodies. In 2019, the EITI Standard was amended to include provisions on the disclosure of environmental payments by companies and contextual information related to environmental monitoring. These disclosures have been used to inform debate on environmental management practices and policies. In many countries, the EITI continues to be a unique space for civil society and media to express their concerns about the impacts that oil, gas and mining operations have on communities and the environment. Colombia EITI Colombia published a guide to environmental payments in the extractive sector. The guide identifies 14 different fiscal instruments – ranging from those applicable to all companies, to fees and taxes specific to oil, gas and mining. These include payments for water and forest use, insurance, mine closure, licenses and fines. The guide explains who is responsible for collecting these payments and how they are calculated and used. Mongolia The environmental impacts of mining are a subject of public debate in Mongolia. EITI reporting has enabled public oversight of environmental impact assessments and the different types of environmental payments made by extractive companies, which amounted to USD 24 million in 2020. Civil society groups have made use of EITI data to track company compliance with social and environmental obligations. Trinidad and Tobago Trinidad and Tobago’s EITI reporting provides an overview of legal and contractual provisions related to environmental management in the mining and petroleum sectors, including figures on environmental tariff payments and the existence of rehabilitation and performance bonds. TTEITI also established an environmental subcommittee and a voluntary template for reporting environmental impacts. In addition, the Ministry of Planning and Development adopted a pilot programme on the monitoring and verification of carbon emissions. PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK 40 EITI Anniversary Report