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Thank you for participating in this survey on exploration, mining and quarrying activities in and around UNESCO Biosphere Reserves and Global Geoparks. The purpose of this survey is to better understand the scale and nature of these activities near and within your site and how it affects local communities, the environment, governance structures, and geodiversity. Your insights will contribute to future planning, research, and potential UNESCO support —whether technical, environmental, or policy-related—in these areas. The Secretariat will analyse the responses from different sites, and only aggregated statistical results will be published—no information identifying individual sites will be disclosed. Your response will be accessible only to the UNESCO Secretariat. 

Instructions for completing the Survey

• Please respond to each question to the best of your ability based on current knowledge and available information.

• If a question does not apply to your site, please write “N/A” or “Not Applicable”.

• You are encouraged to consult with colleagues, other site stakeholders, or relevant documents while completing the survey.

• Where possible, please send us any supporting information – such as photos, maps, or awareness campaign advertisements – that illustrate or expand on your answers. These can be emailed to iggp@unesco.org.

• In your responses, consider activities both within your site boundaries and in nearby areas (approximately 10 km outside of the site’s buffer zone) that may affect the site or be linked to its management.

• Throughout the survey, we kindly ask you to keep track of where you obtained your information (e.g., internal reports, interviews, personal observation, partner organisations).

• The mining and quarrying of all commodities are relevant, including those mined for export and used elsewhere, as well as minerals mined and quarried for local and domestic use.


If you need assistance or clarification while completing the survey, please email iggp@unesco.org

There are 72 questions in this survey.

Personal Information

Providing personal information is optional. It will be used only by the survey team in case we need to contact you for follow-up questions or clarification. Personal information will be kept strictly confidential and will not be shared with anyone outside the survey team.
Name
Affiliation (organisation and role)
Email
Mobile number (with country code)

General Site Information

​​​What is the full, official name of your site? What year was it officially designated as a Biosphere Reserve or Global Geopark?

​​​​​​What is your site best known for? (For example, biodiversity, geological formations, cultural heritage, etc.)

Mining and Quarrying Activities Overview

This section gathers an overview of exploration, mining and quarrying activity (both current and historical) located within or near the UNESCO site boundary. If exact figures are not known, estimates are acceptable. If you are unsure of the answer, you may write “Unknown”.
  Active Industrial/ Large-Scale Active Artisanal & Small-Scale (ASM) Closed/ Inactive
Approximate number of sites
Primary minerals extracted (e.g., gold, sand, cobalt)
Level of activity (e.g., low, moderate, high)
Estimated production of each mineral per month per year (if known)
Approximate number of workers for each mineral (if known)

Is the number of mining sites increasing, stable, or decreasing? Please select one option and briefly comment. If you don’t have additional information, just write “N/A”.

Who operates these mining sites (check all that apply):
Are there any types of mining activities not covered by the categories above that you would like to specify? If so, please describe.

Mineral Security and Community Use

Mineral security exists when all people have sufficient and affordable access to the minerals necessary for human development, including shelter, mobility, communication, energy and sustenance. This section explores how minerals in the area are used by local communities, including traditional, informal, or small-scale practices to support livelihoods. Include specific examples where relevant.

Are any minerals or materials extracted within or near the UNESCO sites used primarily for local or subsistence purposes (e.g., housing, agriculture, road building)?
How do the social and environmental impacts of these local use-sites differ from those mined for commercial or export purposes?
Where do communities currently obtain these resources?
What are the key mineral-related needs of local communities (e.g., for construction, agriculture, transport, or energy)?
Are there any traditional or cultural practices that rely on using or extracting minerals (e.g., crafts or rituals)?
How are these practices being preserved or adapted?
Has the designation of the site as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve or Global Geopark affected the ability of communities to meet their mineral needs?

Please provide more details if possible. If not, you may write “N/A”.

Environmental and Health Challenges

This section captures information on the main environmental and health impacts of exploration, mining or quarrying within or near the site.
Have any environmental impacts (e.g. deforestation, pollution, or habitat loss) been observed as a result of mining or quarrying within or near the UNESCO site? If so, please describe.
Have any specific forms of environmental damage been observed (e.g., contamination of rivers/soils, destruction of sacred sites, loss of endangered species)?
Please describe and specify the affected areas where possible.
Are there any mitigation measures in place to address these environmental impacts (e.g., waste management plans, reforestation)?
How effective have these measures been? Please provide more details if possible. If not, you may write “N/A”.

Health Impacts

Have any health concerns been observed or reported in communities related to mining or quarrying activities in or near the site? If so, please describe. 
Are there any health monitoring, education, or medical interventions in place to address these risks?
Please describe.

Local Revenue, Governance, and Regulation

This section focuses on how mining activities within or near the UNESCO site are governed and whether mining provides economic benefits to local communities.
Do local communities benefit economically or socially from mining or quarrying activities in or near the UNESCO site?
Please specify types of benefits (e.g., employment, royalties, using local businesses, increased infrastructure such as roads/bridges, and voluntary community investments or CSR activities such as social, cultural or environmental initiatives).
Are there any current or past conflicts related to mining in or near the UNESCO site (e.g., land use disputes, resource access)?
Please describe any known initiatives, partnerships, or development funds.
Please specify.
Please list or describe any relevant legislation and/or regulatory bodies. 
In your view, how has mining or quarrying affected the value of the UNESCO site?
Would you describe the impact as mostly positive, mostly negative, or mixed?
Are there local, regional, national and/or international policies or regulatory frameworks in place to manage the impacts of mining or quarrying within or near the site?
Do you believe these current regulations are effective in protecting the UNESCO site and its values?
Please explain why or why not.

Good Practices

This section invites examples of responsible mining, restoration, collaboration, education, or innovation related to mining management near the site.
Are there joint efforts between different groups to manage mining or quarrying activities or impacts (e.g., local communities, mining companies, NGOs, local/regional/national government)?
Please list or describe these efforts.
Are local community members or traditional knowledge holders involved in managing or advising on mining-related issues?
Please provide details.
Are there any training programs or awareness campaigns that teach responsible or sustainable mining practices?
Please list or describe these programs or initiatives.
Have there been any successful land restoration or rehabilitation efforts after mining or quarrying in your area?
Please list or describe these efforts.
Are there any new technologies or techniques being used in the area to reduce environmental impacts and/or damage from mining or quarrying?
Please list or describe these technologies or techniques.
Are there any success stories or positive examples of how mining or quarrying impacts have been well managed in or near your site?
Please describe these stories or examples.
Are there current or recent projects focused on mining or quarrying impacts at or near the site?
Please list or describe these projects.
Please share any other comments or additional examples of good practice.

Areas Requiring UNESCO Support

This section identifies the key gaps where support from UNESCO would be most beneficial for your site. Where relevant, provide details or examples.
Would receiving technical support (e.g., related to monitoring, regulation or community engagement) help improve your capacity to manage the impacts of mining or quarrying at your site?
Please describe specific needs or topics.
Are there knowledge or skills gaps among site staff or partner institutions related to mining governance and/or environmental protection?
Please specify.
Are there funding gaps that hinder the effective management of mining or quarrying impacts at your site?
Please specify.
Are there other forms of support or collaboration you would like to receive from UNESCO?
Please specify.
What specific technical or environmental challenges within or near the site require UNESCO’s support or intervention?
What types of technical or policy support from UNESCO would help mitigate mining or quarrying impacts?
Are there gaps in environmental monitoring systems that UNESCO can address? Please specify.
What kinds of research – if any – would be helpful in better understanding the environmental and/or social impacts of mining within or near the site?
Are you aware of any current activities or initiatives by UNESCO that are supporting sustainable development within or near your site? If yes, please describe. 
Where do you think additional support from UNESCO would be most helpful?
How do you envision the future of mining within or near your site, and how you would like to collaborate with UNESCO?

Quantitative and Ranking Questions

This section includes multiple-choice and ranking questions to help identify broader trends and common challenges. If exact data are not available, your best estimates or informed judgments are welcome.
What are the top three environmental impacts of mining or quarrying near your site?
(Please rank environmental impacts in order of severity or urgency, with 1. being the most severe or urgent.)
What are the top three socioeconomic benefits of mining or quarrying for nearby communities?
(Please rank socioeconomic impacts in order of importance, with 1. being the most important.) 
Approximately what percentage of your work time as a Site Manager is spent addressing mining-related issues? (NOTE: This may include community engagement, monitoring, mitigation planning, or conflict resolution)
(Estimate the average percentage per month. Tick one.)

What are the top three issues related to mining that UNESCO should prioritise in your site or region?

(Rank in order of urgency or potential impact, with 1. being the most urgent)

References and Sources of Information

In this final section, please list the primary sources of information you relied on to complete the survey. This does not need to be a formal bibliography or include full publication details or access dates.

You may list:

• Reports, policy documents, databases, or internal site materials.

• Community or partner input – if any of the information came from local community members, site staff, or partner organisation, please indicate this and include their role or affiliation if appropriate (e.g., “village leader”, “local NGO staff”), without naming individuals or including personal identifying information.

• Direct observations – if you answered any questions based on your own site visits or experience, please briefly indicate this as well.

Any relevant materials can be sent to iggp@unesco.org.

 
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