Environmental responsibility involves taking responsibility for the impact that activities have on the environment.
The notion of responsibility has several uses. It may be a moral obligation; of a debt that requires some type of repair; or the ability of an individual to understand the consequences of their actions.
Environmental , meanwhile, is an adjective that refers to that linked to the environment . In this case, we are interested in the meaning of the term as equivalent to environment or environment : the set of factors that are external to living organisms but that affect their subsistence and development.
The idea of environmental responsibility , in this way, is associated with the assessment of the ecological impact of an activity or action . The concept implies taking charge of the consequences that human actions have on the natural environment and the atmosphere .
Characteristics of environmental responsibility
Environmental responsibility covers both natural and legal persons. Although it is usually related to actions (generation of polluting emissions, dumping of waste, etc.), it also has to do with inaction (when what is required to avoid or minimize damage is not done).
It is important to consider that environmental responsibility can have a formal or legal correlation. Depending on the type of fault, there may be administrative , civil or criminal liability, derived from the footprint that was caused on the environment .
In short, it can be considered that environmental responsibility is the result of the commitment of people and organizations to the state of the environment, which can be affected by different tasks and acts. As we already indicated, although responsibility may have its origin in ethics , it can sometimes be evaluated and punished by Justice .
Environmental responsibility is very important in mining.
Production consequences
Environmental responsibility is generally judged in the productive sector . Although each individual must be responsible for the environment in their daily lives, the notion is usually analyzed in relation to business activity .
An environmentally responsible company has to ensure that it does not interfere with the balance of the ecosystem . Thus, it has to ensure that its activity does not generate a negative impact or, at least, compensate for the problems it causes.
In some way, almost all production processes impact nature . However, there are procedures that are more harmful than others. The greatest environmental responsibility falls on the entities that execute these actions, because the consequences can be devastating.
Environmental responsibility in mining
Take the case of mining companies . This industry is one of the most polluting, making the evaluation of environmental responsibility by the authorities essential.
Mining operations, broadly speaking, contaminate the soil , air , underground aquifers and surface water . Likewise, they can affect animals and flora and introduce changes in the climate .
Although it depends on each legislation , the State usually has specific regulations so that mining does not cause serious damage. When companies break the rules, they receive harsh penalties.
In any case, the population often opposes mining activity since, once the damage occurs, there is no possible reparation. Any lack of environmental responsibility can be lethal.