Environmental governance in Sierra Leone׳s mining sector: A critical analysis

The paper reflects on why, despite recent advances in the area of environmental governance, environmental and associated social problems continue to proliferate in Sierra Leone׳s mining regions. These issues have yet to be explored in depth, perhaps due to the relative 'newness' of the country׳s Environmental Governance agenda. Drawing on findings from research conducted in Sierra Leone between January and July 2011, the paper critically assesses three key components of the country׳s Environmental Governance agenda: the Mines and Minerals Act of 2009, specifically, its ability to address issues concerning the loss of property rights, compensation and resettlement; the efficacy of Environmental Impact Assessment as an environmental regulatory and management tool; and the capacity of the Environmental Protection Agency. The lack of sufficient progress being made on these three areas is largely a result of overreliance on a strategy that is neoliberal in character and which, therefore, fails to prioritise environmental concerns.