ABSTRACT
This chapter provides the broad conclusions that emerged from the Mining, Minerals and Sustainable Development (MMSD) process and an Agenda for Change. The agenda sets out various actions for improving the mineral sectors contribution to sustainable development. Decision-makers have to operate within certain constraints. The right incentives need to be in place to encourage different actors to pursue their own objectives in ways that contribute to the wider goals of sustainable development. Local issues should be solved locally, as local endowments and priorities differ from place to place. Local actors will be directly involved when their interests are threatened. The full potential contribution of minerals to national economies is mostly far from realized. Corporate performance in the minerals sector, measured against any indicator, is variable. The MMSD process sought to create a picture of what the minerals sector would look like if it were to maximize its contribution to sustainable development.
