Forest and Mining Interaction in Zambia

The Environmental Governance Programme (EGP) is a joint initiative of the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency (SwEPA) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) where various countries are supported in the integration of environmental management and human rights into the governance of the mining sector. One of the EGP projects in Zambia – the Forest and Mining Project – considers how forests are impacted by mineral sector development and how forest protection can be improved.

The project was born out of the fact that the green energy and digital transitions will require more mining and new mines. Furthermore, many of these new mines are likely to be situated in forested areas, including intact or otherwise ecologically valuable forests and/or undeveloped areas. To ensure a green and just transition and recovery, concerns over impacts on forests and associated human rights impacts must be understood, prevented, mitigated, and managed throughout the mining cycle, and particularly during the early stages of the mining cycle.