Instruments for environmentally sustainable regulation of raw material extraction – INSTRO

The project “Instruments for environmentally sustainable regulation of raw materials extraction – INSTRO” focuses on German law and examines how mining projects and other subterranean uses can be carried out in a more environmentally friendly manner. It considers more ambitious legal requirements as well as optimised planning, approval and supervisory procedures, and how restoring usability (e.g. recultivation of the used areas on the surface) could be further improved, from an environmental perspective, and adequately secured financially. Regulations on public participation, the right of associations and affected parties to take legal action, as well as liability and the provision of security are also examined. Further focus is placed on improving consideration of resource protection and conservation in the approval and implementation of projects for the use of the subsurface as well as the non-mining extraction of raw materials, i.e. “excavation mining”. In addition, other spatial uses are also taken into account that compete with or are affected by the extraction of raw materials. The legal analysis of the regulations and jurisprudence is empirically tested for its practical feasibility through stakeholder interviews. The project is further supported by an external advisory board.