The safe management of mine tailings is a major concern within the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe region and beyond. At its eleventh meeting (Geneva (hybrid), 7–9 December 2020), the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on the Transboundary Effects of Industrial Accidents discussed past and future work to address mine tailings safety under the Convention. It took note of the conclusions and recommendations of the preceding Seminar on mine tailings safety in the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe region and beyond (online, 1 December 2020), which was organized by Bureau members and the secretariat. Furthermore, it adopted decision 2020/1 on strengthening mine tailings safety in the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe region and beyond (ECE/CP.TEIA/42/Add.1). Through the decision, the Conference of the Parties requested the Bureau to prepare an orientation paper for consideration at its twelfth meeting.
The present document, prepared by the Bureau, in particular its small group on tailings safety, in cooperation with the secretariat, outlines key objectives to further strengthen mine tailings safety and calls upon Parties and member States within the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe region and beyond to take specific actions until 2030 to do so. The road map supports progress towards the Convention’s long-term strategy for 2030, which contains actions to strengthen implementation, address industrial safety hotspots and continuously work to prevent accidental water pollution. a Parties will be invited to express their views on the present road map, endorse it and thereby set the agenda for strengthening mine tailings safety with the proposed actions over the next eight years, including through activities under the Convention in future workplans.