Durban — Mining companies and conservationists have again failed to reconcile their differences in dealing with the world's protected and ecologically sensitive areas, rendering no conclusive agreement on the way forward.

Releasing the Durban accord at the Fifth World Parks Congress yesterday, the working group tackling the contentious issue conceded that there remained "considerable areas of disagreement".

This could signal future resistance from various extractive industries to reduce the impact of their operations on biodiversity hotspots identified at the congress as a key social and economic tool for poverty alleviation.

The stalemate in talks has also prohibited the relevant parties from formulating precise policies to protect natural treasures from being developed and destroyed beyond rehabilitation.

While the accord called for further dialogue around the issue, it also recognised the role minerals and natural gas played in modern industry, farming and lifestyles.

Delegates welcomed commitments by Shell and the International Council on Mining and Metals comprising 15 of the world's major mining companies to treat world heritage sites as "no-go areas".

Both parties urged other players in the extractive industries to follow this lead, but it was not enough to broker an agreement.

However, the working group noted that local communities provided a guideline on the commitment and support of mining in ecologically sensitive areas.

In addition, the 10-day congress, which ends today, recognised that although protected areas played a vital role in sustainable development, they could not be "islands of conservation, divorced from the social and economic context".

Poverty, hunger and land degradation were identified in the accord as the main threats to the survival of the world's biodiversity.