Area description The study was executed in the RGM Concession (approximately 170 km²) located in the district Brokopondo, Suriname.

. RGM Concession and mining activities Small scale mining scattered in RGM Concession

Carbon Footprint in the Rosebel Gold Mines N.V. Concession in the Brokopondo District,

Suriname

Gaitrie Usha Satnarain MSc. A:Leysweg 86, Paramaribo, Suriname P: (+597)494756 E: gaitrie.satnarain@uvs.edu

INTRODUCTION Gold mining generates large amounts of revenue in Suriname, but also impacts the socio, economic and environmental conditions. These mining activities may lead to an increase of the greenhouse gases in the atmosphere and are expected to exacerbate global warming in the long term. The main gold mining-related activities contributing to carbon emission are forest clearance and fuel com-bustion (transport and electricity demand). The effects of global warming will not spare a country like Suriname and might be cata-strophic just like other vulnerable parts of the Caribbean (Mangnus, 2006). Even though Suriname has ratified the Kyoto Protocol in 1997, there has not been any research on carbon emissions related to gold mining in Suriname. Therefore the research goal was to as-sess the carbon footprint of gold mining activities in Rosebel Gold Mine N.V. concession by small scale miners and the multinational RGM. The following research questions were assessed: 1.What levels of carbon emissions occur due to deforestation,

transport and electricity associated with gold mining activities in the RGM Concession?

2.What is the level of the social, economic and environmental im-pact on the local community concerning gold mining-related car-bon emissions?

3.What are the national legal requirements for the mining sector in relation to climate change mitigation?

SUMMARY

The economy of Suriname is greatly dependent on gold mining, which is one of the main cornerstones of Suriname´s economy. Apart from the financial benefits a certain degree of social and environmental disturbances goes along with mining activities. Hence, this research was undertaken with the purpose to estimate the carbon footprint in the Rosebel Goldmine Concession as the outcome of the mining activities of Rosebel Gold Mine N.V. (RGM), as well as the active small scale gold miners. Transport, electricity demand and deforestation were the three main greenhouse gas contributors that were assessed in the concession. The used method was in accordance with the guidelines of the United Nation Framework Climate Change Convention (UNFCCC). The social impact of the mining activities was assessed through questionnaires. Hence, the local people from three villages near the concession were inter-viewed. The outcome of the research revealed that the annual carbon emissions of the small scale gold miners was significantly higher than that of RGM. In addition, the deforested area size due to small scale mining was higher compared to the activities of RGM. The social and environmental assessment confirmed the negative impact of the mining activities on the social, economic and environmental conditions of the local people. The assessment of Suri-name´s regulatory system revealed the lack of legislation which enforces miners to consider mitigation strategies. A detailed and follow up investigation is critically important in order to enhance climate change mitigation.

EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN The following methods were used to answer the research questions:

1.To estimate the carbon emissions, the following formulas were

used: Deforestation: Carbon loss (tonnes of C) = Deforested area size (ha)* Above Ground Biomass (AGB) (tonnes C ha-1) (Crabbe et.al, 2012) Transportation: The fuel-based method (Garg & Pulles, 2006)

Where: a = Type of fuel (petrol or diesel, Fuela = Fuel sold, EFa = Emission factor. This is equal to the carbon content of the fuel multiplied by 44/12.

2.Questionnaire surveys were executed in the local villages of

Nieuw Koffiekamp, Klaaskreek and Brownsweg to assess the level of the social, economic and environmental impact on the local community concerning gold mining-related carbon emissions.

3.National legal institutions were consulted to assess the national le-

gal requirements for the mining sector in relation to climate change mitigation.

CONCLUSIONS

RGM gold extraction is approximately nine times higher than the small scale gold miners’. However, the small scale gold miners have twice the measured carbon emission of RGM, although the small scale gold miners produce far less gold than RGM.

The estimated annual carbon footprint in the entire RGM Concession is ap-

proximately 143.27 tCO2/ Au kg (as calculated using the measured carbon

emissions as input).

Carbon footprint as calculated appears to be biased, due to assumptions

related to mining methods and mining equipment, which differ greatly be-

tween small scale miners and industrial miners.

Carbon footprint will increase with expansion of the mining activities, includ-

ing carbon loss. This means that the social, economic and environment im-

pact on the local communities will also expand.

While Suriname does not have specific legislation on the mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions as yet, the study revealed that effective green-house gas mitigation regulations and strategies is urgently needed in order to reduce carbon footprints and to comply with the Kyoto protocol.

REFERENCES

Cambior Inc. and Rescan Environmental Services Ltd. 2003. Environmental Impact Assessment Rosebel Gold Project, Suriname. 963 pp.

Crabbe, S., M. Djosetro, W. Hanoeman, M. Playfair, B. Pinas, C. Sanches, M. Sanches, A. Soe-tosenojo, R. Somopawiro, K. Tjon and V. Wortel. 2012. Technical Report: Results of Forest Car-bon Assessment and monitoring Project Suriname. 74 pp.

Environmental Department, Rosebel Gold Mines N.V. 2011. Mine Closure Plan. Draft Report. Environmental Department, Rosebel Gold Mines N.V. 2011. Third Quarter Wildlife Assessment

Report. 4 pp. Finisie, J. (Superintendent Community Relations Department of Rosebel Gold Mines N.V.).

2012. Personal Communication. Garg, A. and T. Pulles. 2002. Draft 2006 IPCC guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Invento-

ries. Volume 2. Energy. 319

Heemskerk, M. and R. Kooye van der. 2003. Challenges to sustainable small-scale mine devel-opment in Suriname. 19 pp.

Kesarsing, S. 2011. ARO Closure Summary. Rosebel Gold Mines N.V. 9 pp.

Mangnus, M. 2006. The Implementation Possibilities of Renewable Energy in the rural areas of Suriname. MSc. Thesis. Utrecht University, Utrecht. The Netherlands. 94 pp

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: Dr. Leonard Nurse; University of the West-Indies; Cave Hill

Campus; Rosebel Gold Mines N.V.; villagers from Klaaskreek, Nieuw Koffie Kamp and Brownsweg; National Zoological Collection of Suriname; Ministry of Natural Resources; Ministry of Labor, Technological Development and Environment; General Bureau of Statistics in Suriname; National Institute for Environment and Development in Suriname and Tropenbos Suriname.

RESULTS CARBON EMISSIONS

1.The electricity power is provided by hydropower, recognized as clean energy. Therefore, it is assumed to emit minimal carbon emissions.

2.The disturbed area size due to mining activities of the small scale gold miners is larger than that of RGM which implies the greater amount of carbon loss due to the activities of small scale gold miners compared to RGM’s activities.

Annually disturbed area size, carbon loss, the amount of gold extracted

Mining activity scale Disturbed area (area size/yr )

Carbon Loss (Tonne C )

RGM 295.43 55,540.57

SMALL SCALE GOLD MINERS 372.50 70,030.00

Results show that the carbon emissions by the small scale gold miners is approximately twice as higher compared to that of RGM, even though the small scale gold miners extract less gold annually than RGM.

Annual carbon emissions, extracted gold and carbon footprint

Mining activity scale

Carbon emission

(tCO2eq/yr )

Gold extracted annually

(Au kg/yr )

Carbon footprint

(tCO2 eq/Au kg)

RGM 86,834.20 10,968.20 7.92

SMALL SCALE GOLD MINERS

168,057.43 1,241.67 135.35

SOCIO-ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT

From the respondents:

30% work in the small scale gold mining sector, while 16% is employed at RGM;

100% of the residents of Nieuw Koffiekamp experienced discomfort from the RGM’s activities, including noise pollution during RGM blasting activities;

100% reported a decrease of their protein sources, particularly the bush meat, probably due to deforestation and noise pollution;

40% is concerned about unemployment and related uncertainties after the clo-sure of the RGM project;

20% is worried about the level of mine closure (un-rehabilitated areas) and the adverse effects on the environment.

ASSESSMENT NATIONAL LEGAL REQUIREMENTS

Consultation with national legal institutions revealed that the Surinamese legal system does not contain specific legislation on the mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions as yet. However there is a draft environmental law, covering environ-mental pollution in general.