Mount Nimba: ESIA advisory report published

The NCEA carried out a review of the ESIA for the iron mining project on Mount Nimba, Guinea. The review report (in French) is published online This link opens in a new tab.  

Mount Nimba lies within an endangered UNESCO World Heritage site. Its ecosystems are rich and sensitive, hosting several critically endangered species, such as the Western chimpansees. Given the exceptional biodiversity, the review focused on potential impacts on the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the site, and its critical habitats, in line with UNESCO requirements. Particular importance was therefore given to the environmental impact assessment and its review.

The independent review found that the ESIA provides a structured overview of the project and its social context. It also identified a number of weaknesses, such as an insufficient environmental baseline study, underestimated cumulative and transboundary effects,  and a weak and largely non-operational Environmental and Social Management Plan. During the restitution meeting, the NCEA explained its findings and associated recommendations in detail and gave those present the opportunity to ask questions.