118
PRIORITYMEASURE83
“Promote inclusive development of natural resources, avoiding the social and environmental damage that [their exploitation]may cause.”
Comments
The member countries of ECLAC recognize the need for progress toward better and stronger governance and development of natural
resources, so that these will contribute to a more diversified economy that is more sustainable in environmental terms and has synergies
with respect to employment, well-being and sustainable economic development for the region over the long term. This means that
governance should concern itself with the ownership, the means of appropriation and the redistribution of productivity gains so that
society as a whole will benefit from a country’s endowment in natural resources. The High-Level Roundtable held in January 2015
identified the elements for construction of a covenant on governance of natural resources:
creating a long-term State policy and strategy
to ensure that extraction industries contribute to development goals through productive diversification, structural change and social
inclusion; updating countries’ tax frameworks to achieve greater progressivity in State participation; institutionalizing long-term
mechanisms for the stabilization, saving and investment of this income; and bolstering the capacity of public institutions tomanage socio-
environmental and labour disputes associated with the development of extraction sectors
. The final document from the United Nations
Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20), “The Future We Want”, called for creation of an open intergovernmental working
group to prepare a proposed set of sustainable development goals (SDGs) for inclusion in the post-2015 development agenda. The
resulting sustainable development goals can serve for monitoring this priority measure, through goal 6. “Ensure availability and
sustainablemanagement of water and sanitation for all”, particularly targets 6.1 “By 2030, achieve universal and equitable access to safe
and affordable drinking water for all” and 6.6 “By 2020 protect and restore water-related ecosystems, including mountains, forests,
wetlands, rivers, aquifers and lakes” and 12, “Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns” and in particular targets 12.2 (“by
2030 achieve sustainablemanagement and efficient use of natural resources”) and 12.5 (“by 2030, substantially reducewasted generation
through prevention, reduction, recycling, and reuse”).
In resolution 64/292 (28 July 2010), the General Assembly of the United Nations explicitly recognized the human right to water and
sanitation, reaffirming that drinking water and sanitation are vital for the realization of all human rights. Resolution 64/292 calls upon
States and international organizations to provide financial resources, to promote training and the transfer of technology to help developing
countries in particular and to provide a drinkable water supply and clean, accessible and affordable sanitation for all, especially where
drinkingwater is not always considered a resource for public use.
There is also a link between natural resource exploitation and the impacts this may have on the people living in those areas, which can
lead to socioenvironmental conflicts, particularly in territories inhabited by indigenous peoples. In the development of these extractive
activities, especially those associated with high-techmono-product extraction, it is important to include environmental impact plans that
will dimension the social and environmental risks and effects, such as plans for prevention, mitigation, correction and compensation for
adverse environmental impacts. Consultationmechanismsmust also be considered so that people can participate throughout the process.
Implementation of this measure implies a new approach to the governance of natural resources, one in which the territorial rights of
indigenous peoplesmust be explicitly considered (see PM 88).
