July 2020 News and Analysis from NRGI

News from NRGI
5 August 2020

Highlights

Sustainable Drive, Sustainable Supply: Priorities to Improve the Electric Vehicle Battery Supply Chain

Sustainable management of the supply chain for electric vehicle batteries is critical in order to meet global climate goals and promote the well-being of people in mineral-rich countries. This new report from NRGI and the Center for Law, Energy & the Environment at Berkeley Law identifies the barriers and recommends how industry, government and nonprofit leaders can respond. (Watch the webinar.)

From Brazzaville to Miami: National Oil Company Corruption and its Global Implications
U.S. prosecutors are alleging money connected to the oil-rich Republic of Congo has been corruptly used to purchase Miami real estate. NRGI's Alexandra Gillies explores the connections between such corruption and state oil companies. (Also available in French.)

VIDEO: In Times of Crisis, Focus on Your Strengths
In this interview with the Hewlett Foundation, NRGI's interim CEO and president Suneeta Kaimal discusses how the organization is responding to the coronavirus pandemic.

AUDIO: What the sediment revealed in Lebanon
NRGI's Laury Haytayan spoke to the BBC World Service about corruption and state capture for its investigation into how the delivery of defective, sediment-heavy fuel helped inflame the political crisis in Lebanon.

Blog

As Resource Revenues Come Up Short, Governments Adapt in Unusual Ways
It has been a disastrous year for governments reliant on revenues from natural resources. This post provides analysis on how a number of resource-rich countries have weathered the fiscal shock induced by the coronavirus pandemic.

Iraq and Algeria Navigate Political Transition, Deflated Oil Demand and Decreased Revenues

While both Algeria and Iraq have taken some measures in response to the oil price drop and the spread of coronavirus, governance questions remain.

Reforming Colombia's Extractive Sector Royalty Distributions: Key Changes and Coronavirus
Lawmakers should strengthen proposed reforms to Colombia's extractive sector royalty distribution system to overcome critical shortcomings of the current model. In light of the pandemic, further changes are also needed to crisis-proof the system.

What the Pandemic Reveals About Governance, State Capture and Natural Resources
Resource-rich countries are among the low- and middle-income states that are experiencing particularly acute challenges as a result of the pandemic, writes Daniel Kaufmann. (Also available in Spanish.)

The 2021 Resource Governance Index Research Process is Underway
Research for the 2021 edition of NRGI's Resource Governance Index has begun. The index measures the governance of oil, gas and mining sectors in resource-producing countries and provides freely available public data to help inform evidence-based decision-making.

Oil-Exporting Emerging Economies Should Seek Just Energy Transition for Sector Workers

Governments must address the impacts of the much-needed low-carbon transition on the livelihood of the world’s millions of oil workers and their communities. Implementing a just transition for workers will not be easy, but it is imperative that authorities in oil-exporting emerging economies to begin planning.

Events

VIDEO: Can We End Corruption In Oil, Gas, and Mining?
Catch up on this webinar hosted by the Brookings Institution, during which experts including NRGI's Daniel Kaufmann and Alexandra Gillies explored solutions to the challenges of corruption along the natural-resource value chain globally.

VIDEO: Descarbonización y desarrollo en Latinoamérica y el Caribe: riesgos y oportunidades de la recuperación ante el Covid-19
At this Spanish-language webinar hosted by the Stockholm Environment Institute, experts including NRGI's Fernando Patzy discussed how Latin American and Caribbean countries' coronavirus recovery strategies can help foster more diverse, sustainable and inclusive economies.

VIDEO: Paradox of Plenty: Natural Resource Crime in Africa
At this webinar hosted by Global Financial Integrity, panelists including NGRI's Alexandra Gillies discussed the trends in oil corruption, wildlife trafficking and illegal mining of gemstones and minerals on the African continent, as well as potential solutions. NRGI in the news and on the web