IUCN – INSEE partnership for the development of robust environmental standards for cement quarries.

The objective of this partnership is to implement robust sustainable development standards for INSEE’s Hon Chong quarry as well as to provide guidance to improve the cement sector’s environmental impact.

Siam City Cement City Group, known in Vietnam as INSEE, partnered with IUCN to conserve biodiversity around its quarrying sites in Cambodia, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam. This agreement is the development of a 10-year partnership between the two organizations.  Since 2008, INSEE and IUCN have notably conducted biodiversity conservation projects at Kien Luong district, Kien Giang province.

This partnership is aiming at:

• Integrating quarrying and conservation through a combination of within-quarry avoidance/mitigation and external offsets for the unavoidable environmental impacts.
• Exploring, identifying and developing joint local initiatives of mutual interest and benefits, particularly those supporting sustainable livelihoods and biodiversity conservation.
• Promoting good practice by sharing what they are learning with the wider industry and conservation communities in the region.

• Review and update the Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) for the quarry and its surrounding areas;
• Prepare biodiversity atlas of the Mekong Delta Limestones including Hon Chong and Mekong Delta area;
• Photo story on biodiversity of the Mekong Delta Limestones.