Explicit and implicit technology policies affecting closure: Examples from Australia, Canada, and the United States

Abstract

In recent years, conventional wisdom on how governments should approach environmental problems has undergone a distinct shift. The current debate is characterised by an increased emphasis on policies that are anticipatory and preventive, reinforcing those that are reactive and curative. Evolution of the principle of environmental and economic policy integration has suggested that environmental objectives should pervade policy areas not only concerned with the environment, but also with issues such as economic growth, industrial development, education, and technical change. Technological development, change and adaptation are recognised as crucial factors affecting environmental management in mining operations, including issues associated with closure. Traditionally, however, examinations of government policies affecting closure practices have focused quite narrowly on regulatory approaches. In this paper, a broader range of explicit and implicit government technology policies affecting mining operations in Australia, Canada and the United States are briefly explored and compared. In each country, the form and function of sectoral policy communities are examined. Moreover, the chapter briefly investigates whether government policies have fostered the development of sector‐specific research and technology development networks, which collaboratively address environmental issues such as closure and rehabilitation. Specific examples of how explicit and implicit policies have affected the technological selection environment of mining firms in these countries are also briefly examined.