The Global Cement and Concrete Association (GCCA) has published new guidelines aimed at further improving the biodiversity performance of the industry’s quarries.
The guidelines support the association’s Sustainability Charter implementation and represent a collaborative effort by GCCA member companies to improve overall performance in biodiversity management and the rehabilitation of quarries.
Member companies will use the guidelines to implement agreed good practices, as well as a framework for reporting progress against Key Performance Indictors (KPIs).
Minimizing the impact of extraction activity is an important priority for the cement and concrete industry globally. Creating new habitats through rehabilitation and mitigation is already an established practice in many countries, and the GCCA’s new guidelines will help to support the wider adoption of these practices across the sector.
Among the priority areas covered by the new guidelines are the inclusion of social, economic and environmental considerations for the future use of the sites once extraction activity ceases, as well as relevant legislative requirements. The guidelines also advocate for the application of progressive rehabilitation where possible as good practice during the lifetime of a quarry.
Stakeholder involvement and consultation is also recommended at all stages, as is the practice of ensuring rehabilitation and biodiversity plans are in place before the commencement of extraction activities at new sites.
In addition to the new guidelines, the GCCA has also announced that it has joined ‘Business for Nature’, a global coalition bringing together influential organisations and forward-thinking businesses with the aim of demonstrating action to reverse nature loss.
Eva Zabey, Executive Director of Business for Nature said, “We are delighted to be able to welcome GCCA to Business for Nature. Now more than ever, the business community has its part to play and is uniting behind and calling on governments to protect ecosystems. We are looking forward to working with GCCA to further incorporate nature into the heart of mainstream business, finance and government decision-making.”
The United Nations has declared 2020 as a super year for nature and biodiversity “to help achieve human well-being, tackle climate change and protect our living planet.” The GCCA Sustainability Guidelines for Quarry Rehabilitation and Biodiversity Management can be found here.
