From 24 to 25,000: Making responsible mining the norm

Keynote speech (as written) at UNECE Resource Management Week 2025 in Geneva
Rohitesh Dhawan, President and CEO, ICMM

Each year, we see hundreds of reports and gatherings on mining that echo the same message: minerals are essential for the energy transition and modern life, supply is falling behind demand, and scaling production—fairly and responsibly—is urgent.

But amidst all the “Calls to Action,” “Guidelines,” and “Principles” from the past five years, I ask: is the mining industry truly transforming on the ground in a way that delivers equitable development and a just energy transition? Can we honestly say we are closer today to the industry we aspire to build than we were five years ago?

The answer, I believe, is yes—but not fast or far enough.

Yes, because we’ve seen substantial progress:

1. A Global Industry Standard on Tailings Management, designed to prevent disasters like Brumadinho, where 272 lives were lost. ICMM members are implementing this at their sites.
2. The Global Tailings Management Institute, established to ensure broader adoption of this Standard—with UNEP playing a pivotal role in both the Standard and the Institute.
3. Net-zero commitments from major mining companies for Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2050 or sooner—with many large mines already running on 100 per cent renewable energy. The Climate Smart Mining Initiative that many in this room have contributed must get credit for this.
4. A commitment to nature-positive outcomes, ensuring no net loss of biodiversity by closure—changing practices on the ground.
5. Renewed dedication to Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC), grounding Indigenous engagement in genuine, lasting respect.
6. Transparency commitments, with ICMM members publicly disclosing all contracts with governments.
7. Innovative tools for safer, more equitable mine closures—tackling risks like Acid Rock Drainage.
8. A pathway to mining with less waste and more circularity—rethinking processes and products alike.

This is significant progress—thanks to the efforts of many in this room and the wider UN system. We are deeply grateful for your contributions.

So why do I say we’re not moving fast or far enough?

Simply put: supply isn’t keeping up. Between 2009 and 2016, copper production grew at nearly 4 per cent annually. Since 2016? It’s slowed to 1 per cent. Global mining output in 2021 showed no growth from 2019—stuck at 18 billion tonnes. Recycling has increased, and we must urgently build a truly circular economy – but secondary supply won’t meet our growing demand.

Why? One reason is that new mines take an average of 15.7 years from discovery to production—demanding permitting reform without sacrificing high environmental and social standards. But there’s more to it.

The hard truth is that mining companies and their investors are hesitant to fund new supply. Contrary to popular belief, mining hasn’t been a consistent generator of sustainable profits. Demand fluctuates with global cycles. Supply gets disrupted—sometimes by state actions. Large projects frequently suffer cost overruns. Caution dominates.

I’m not asking for sympathy—only to seek a shared understanding. Equally important: we haven’t made enough industry-wide progress on social and environmental performance, ensuring that mining’s benefits are equally distributed. And this leads me to the most jarring reality captured in the title—24 vs 25,000.

• 24: The number of ICMM companies, each committed to high standards of responsible mining—covering a third of the industry by value across 650 sites.
• 25,000: The estimated total number of mining companies globally, operating 30,000 sites.

Even generously assuming all 2,000 listed companies meet high standards, 23,000 companies—90 per cent of the industry—don’t appear to follow a voluntary Standard.

This fuels legitimate fears that mining growth for the energy transition will come at a severe human and environmental cost.

But it doesn’t have to.

We stand on the brink of a once-in-a-generation opportunity—to reshape mining’s future with a consolidated global mining Standard that’s practical, inclusive, and effective for all miners, regardless of size, commodity, or geography.

ICMM, the World Gold Council, Copper Mark, and the Mining Association of Canada—representing decades of expertise, hundreds of mines and thousands of data points—have answered society’s call to unify our standards. Together, we’re crafting a blueprint for responsible mining—accessible to any company, anywhere, without undue burden.

This unified Standard will cover 24 Performance Areas—from human rights to tailings—and include three levels of achievement:

• Leading Practice for pioneers.
• Good Practice: The baseline for all companies.
• Foundational Practice: An entry point for less mature companies.

The presence of a Foundational Practice level is crucial. Many companies don’t adopt standards because they lack a first rung to climb—this Standard fills that gap. It’s potentially transformational, by bringing thousands of companies into the tent who otherwise may have remained outside.

To be clear: this is a voluntary Standard—a complement to national regulations, not a replacement. Building the industry we envision demands collaboration across international bodies, governments, industry, investors, customers, labour, and civil society.

So, I humbly suggest three areas for joint action:

1. Shape the Consolidated Standard: Contribute to the second public consultation this year or reach out directly. It’s vital that the Standard reflects diverse perspectives, particularly from resource-rich developing nations.
2. Avoid duplication: Let’s steer clear of reinventing the wheel. We should focus on filling genuine gaps, not creating more confusion.
3. Bring industry into your work: Partnerships with UNECE and other UN agencies have proven valuable so far, and we are keen to deepen our collaboration. Let’s build on that, learning from the experience of the UN Secretary-General’s Panel on Critical Minerals—including the pitfalls of such processes.

Friends—when global systems face doubt, and scepticism towards institutions grows, those of us who believe in collective action must rise to the occasion. For us, this means forging a mining industry that’s safer, fairer, and better. That’s what an equitable transition demands.

The spirit of this gathering has never mattered more. Let’s honour it—and turn words into lasting, tangible change.

Thank you.