As in other UNDP-GEF projects, the PhosChemEE Project will be designed and implemented with a human-rights-based approach. This project will be based in the underdeveloped western regions of Yunnan, Guizhou, Sichuan, and Hubei, and will focus on promoting the economic and social welfare of local enterprises and communities. It is envisaged that as in the discussions with partner provincial governments, during the project design, consultations will be carried out with the local communities in selected areas where the demonstrations showcase the applications of green utilization technologies.

The project will create employment opportunities and reduce poverty among the local communities through the potential phosphate mining with beneficiation technology applications, upgrade of existing phosphate chemical industry and new industry on the integrated processing of phosphate chemical byproducts such as phosphogypsum. The depletion of phosphogypsum stacks and reduction in phosphogypsum output in these regions will also reduce phosphogypsum-related pollutants’ adverse impact on local water and soil quality, directly and indirectly contributing to the local agricultural production, food security and public health.