CSIRO has released its latest Australian attitudes towards mining report, outlining the public’s opinion on the sector and providing insights for policymakers, industry leaders, and communities.
Engaging over 6,400 participants, the survey included a focus on critical and energy transition minerals to measure community sentiment regarding the mining industry’s role in renewable energy efforts.
The transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy requires critical minerals such as lithium, silicon, high purity alumina and rare earth elements.
Conducted in collaboration with Voconiq, this latest survey marks the third instalment in a decade-long program of research, providing an update to the national surveys conducted in 2014 and 2017.
Key findings of the report include:
- Public trust in the mining industry has improved
- 73 per cent of respondents acknowledge that access to critical minerals is essential for achieving net zero emissions
- 71 per cent agree that mining is important to the Australian way of life
- 72 per cent believe mining will support Australia’s future prosperity
- Despite strong support for mining, 61 per cent agree that mining has negative environmental impacts
- 32 per cent of respondents believe Australia should reduce mining activity, even if it delays the transition to net zero emissions
- Whilst the economic contribution of mining and its importance in supporting the energy transition are widely recognised, building trust, ensuring fair distribution of benefits, and actively engaging communities are key to maintaining the industry’s social license (52 per cent of participants agree that mining communities receive a fair share of benefit)
To read the full report, visit the CSIRO website.
