TY - BOOK
T1 - Goldfields-Esperance Regional Mining Climate Vulnerability Workshop
T2 - Report on Workshop Outcomes
AU - Loechel, Barton
AU - Hodgkinson, Jane H.
AU - Moffat, Kieren
AU - Crimp, Steve
AU - Littleboy, Anna
AU - Howden, Mark
PY - 2010/12/23
Y1 - 2010/12/23
N2 - This report details the process and findings of a workshop conducted in Kalgoorlie-Boulder, Western Australia on 16th August 2010 examining mining industry adaptation to climate change in the Goldfields region. Through both direct impacts associated with changes in climatic extremes and indirect impacts related to changes in legislation or changes in global demand, the Australian mining industry and its associated communities are expected to be impacted by climate change and variability in diverse ways. Western Australia’s Goldfields-Esperance (GE) mining region contributed over $10 billion in 2006-07, to Gross Regional Product (DLGRD 2010) and is an important mineral province for Australia. The regional population of around 60,000, also includes a signifi cant Indigenous population, throughout and around the towns of Kalgoorlie-Boulder, Esperance, Kambalda and Ravensthorpe. There is considerable mining infrastructure across the region, from actual mines, through mineral processing, utilities and transport. The GE region is likely to experience changes resulting from variations in climate and climate change, which will affect stakeholders in the mining industry, including mining companies, infrastructure providers, local government agencies and local communities. In association with the Goldfields-Esperance Development Commission (GEDC), the CSIRO conducted the workshop with a range of regional stakeholders to present climate change data, adaptation concepts and provide discussion topics in order to ascertain the industry’s perceptions of climate change needs in this area. Participating organisations included mining companies, mining industry services, utility providers, research organisations, and state and local government agencies, The workshop aimed to both deliver and develop a greater understanding of the potential impacts of climate variability and change on a range of interdependent stakeholders in the mineral extraction value chain. Additionally, the workshop aimed to provide a forum where discussion on collaborative adaptation strategies with other stakeholders could take place. The workshop identified some major vulnerabilities to climate in the Goldfields mining region including use of scarce resources (principally water and energy), impacts on environment and community, hazards and workforce issues, infrastructure impacts, and mine planning and design. As heavy rain and intense heat can cause both down-time and long-lasting effects on mine equipment and staff, participants identified that processes and affected equipment would require adaptation. Additionally effects on recharge to water resources were raised as a concern so real time data on rainfall, recharge and evapotranspiration would be of benefit. With rising temperature, the increasing need for cooling people and equipment would impact on energy use and costs, both within and external to mines and its operations. Key resources such as water, energy infrastructure, funds, labour and knowledge were deemed as critical as was government policy direction to provide impetus for action across society. Factors influencing vulnerability to climate change included: the costs, risks and returns associated with adaptation measures; societal expectations that tend to influence government policy and regulation; and, the connections between issues and inter-dependencies between sectors that lead to cumulative and/or compounding knock-on effects across them.
AB - This report details the process and findings of a workshop conducted in Kalgoorlie-Boulder, Western Australia on 16th August 2010 examining mining industry adaptation to climate change in the Goldfields region. Through both direct impacts associated with changes in climatic extremes and indirect impacts related to changes in legislation or changes in global demand, the Australian mining industry and its associated communities are expected to be impacted by climate change and variability in diverse ways. Western Australia’s Goldfields-Esperance (GE) mining region contributed over $10 billion in 2006-07, to Gross Regional Product (DLGRD 2010) and is an important mineral province for Australia. The regional population of around 60,000, also includes a signifi cant Indigenous population, throughout and around the towns of Kalgoorlie-Boulder, Esperance, Kambalda and Ravensthorpe. There is considerable mining infrastructure across the region, from actual mines, through mineral processing, utilities and transport. The GE region is likely to experience changes resulting from variations in climate and climate change, which will affect stakeholders in the mining industry, including mining companies, infrastructure providers, local government agencies and local communities. In association with the Goldfields-Esperance Development Commission (GEDC), the CSIRO conducted the workshop with a range of regional stakeholders to present climate change data, adaptation concepts and provide discussion topics in order to ascertain the industry’s perceptions of climate change needs in this area. Participating organisations included mining companies, mining industry services, utility providers, research organisations, and state and local government agencies, The workshop aimed to both deliver and develop a greater understanding of the potential impacts of climate variability and change on a range of interdependent stakeholders in the mineral extraction value chain. Additionally, the workshop aimed to provide a forum where discussion on collaborative adaptation strategies with other stakeholders could take place. The workshop identified some major vulnerabilities to climate in the Goldfields mining region including use of scarce resources (principally water and energy), impacts on environment and community, hazards and workforce issues, infrastructure impacts, and mine planning and design. As heavy rain and intense heat can cause both down-time and long-lasting effects on mine equipment and staff, participants identified that processes and affected equipment would require adaptation. Additionally effects on recharge to water resources were raised as a concern so real time data on rainfall, recharge and evapotranspiration would be of benefit. With rising temperature, the increasing need for cooling people and equipment would impact on energy use and costs, both within and external to mines and its operations. Key resources such as water, energy infrastructure, funds, labour and knowledge were deemed as critical as was government policy direction to provide impetus for action across society. Factors influencing vulnerability to climate change included: the costs, risks and returns associated with adaptation measures; societal expectations that tend to influence government policy and regulation; and, the connections between issues and inter-dependencies between sectors that lead to cumulative and/or compounding knock-on effects across them.
U2 - 10.4225/08/584ee639930ab
DO - 10.4225/08/584ee639930ab
M3 - Commissioned report
T3 - Climate Adaptation and Minerals Down Under Flagships
BT - Goldfields-Esperance Regional Mining Climate Vulnerability Workshop
PB - CSIRO
CY - Pullenvale, Qld
ER -