Extraction
of mineral resources
RD-11
Resource
Depletion
Pressure
1 Indicator
definition and unit of measurement
Total
annual extraction of sand, clay, gravel, natural stone and marl, expressed in
metric tonnes per year.
2 Placement
in the framework:
5EAP:
Chapter
5: The themes and targets of the programme, section 5.3: Protection of nature
and bio-diversity, figure 6 and table 10.
Agenda
21:
Agenda
21 in many of its chapters calls for policies and actions in various areas,
that take into account the vulnerability and availability of natural resources,
and for an increased efficiency in the use of these resources
(e.g.
Chapter 4: Changing consumption patterns and Chapter 10: Integrated approach
to the planning and management of land resources).
International
conventions and agreements:
Article
130 of the Treaty on the European Union (Maastricht, 1992) calls for prudent
and rational utilisation of natural resources. The Antarctic Treaties of
Washington (1959) and Madrid (1991) regulate extraction of mineral resources
from Antarctica. The Protocol of Madrid (1994) regulates exploitation of the
continental shelf, seabed and subsoil. The Convention of Noumea (1986) protects
the natural resources of the South Pacific region.
Ranking:
Core
ranking:
11
(22%)
Policy
Relevance:
15
(2.6)
Analytical
Soundness:
15
(2.6)
Responsiveness:
14
(2.3)
Most
appropriate related state indicator:
The
total available stocks mineral resources, such as sand, clay, gravel, natural
stone and marl.
3 Significance:
Purpose:
The
indicator depicts the extraction of mineral resources. Because there are many
mineral resources the most important of these resources in terms of
sustainability have to be selected. Basis for the selection is in fact the
vulnerability of the specific resource for depletion.
Relevance:
The
extraction of mineral resources is mainly required for the construction sector
and for industry. Because of the diversity of mineral resources it is difficult
to use the indicator for monitoring the result of policy on different economic
sectors. However a total indicator for the pressure on mineral resources has
relevance because it helps to depict the average tempo in which the resources
are depleted.
Linkages
to other pressure indicators:
None.
Targets:
None.
Reference levels for this indicator can be derived from the most related state
indicator, depicting the stocks of specific mineral resources.
4 Methodological
description and underlying definitions:
Underlying
definitions and concepts:
The
indicator includes the amounts of extracted mineral resources. The following
resources are proposed: sand, clay, gravel, natural stone, marl and marble.
Measurement
methods:
The
indicator is measured in metric tonnes per year. The yearly extracted amounts
of the different mineral resources are expressed in metric tonnes and added up
without weighing.
Limitations
of the indicator:
The
indicator does not allow for depicting the impact of policy on the use of
specific resources or on switching from one resource to another.
Alternative
definitions:
The
indicator could be expanded to include more mineral resources. Because of the
smaller quantities however these resources would play a negligible part in the
indicator. To visualise the depletion problems of the mineral resources that
are extracted in smaller quantities, a separate indicator would be a better
solution.
