Evaluating factors influencing community readiness for post-mining environmental development strategies

Area of Science:

• Environmental sociology
• Community development
• Resource management

Background:

• Communities near mining operations face significant social and economic changes.
• Assessing community readiness for environmental development is crucial for sustainable transitions.
• Understanding factors influencing adaptation is key for effective policy and practice.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate factors influencing community readiness for new environmental development strategies.
• To analyze the impact of corporate resource management on community adaptation.
• To identify demographic influences on willingness to embrace change.

Main Methods:

• Structured questionnaire surveys were administered to community members.
• Exploratory factor analysis was used to identify underlying constructs.
• Logistic regression analysis examined the influence of various factors on adaptation willingness.

Main Results:

• Corporate resource management practices showed a paradoxical negative impact on community willingness to adopt new environmental strategies.
• Dependency on existing mining operations and their benefits was identified as a key factor reducing inclination for change.
• Demographic factors and environmental governance also influenced adaptation readiness.

Conclusions:

• Effective corporate resource management can create economic stability that inadvertently reduces community receptiveness to potentially disruptive environmental innovations.
• Dependency on current practices may overshadow long-term sustainable development goals.
• Findings highlight the need for nuanced approaches to community engagement in environmental transitions, considering both immediate benefits and future adaptability.