June 2022 News and Analysis from NRGI

News from NRGI
7 July 2022

Highlights

Senegal and the G7: Five Questions about the Just Energy Transition Partnership
This week's G7 Summit in Germany presented another opportunity for the Senegalese and G7 member governments to engage in discussions on establishing a “just energy transition partnership." NRGI's Hervé Lado and Papa Daouda Diene share five questions for public debate. (La Tribune Afrique also published the commentary in French.) Learn more about prospects for African natural gas from NRGI experts in audio and web features from National Public Radio, the New Statesman, and in this thread.

The Resource Remix: Toward New Resource Governance Paradigms
In a new episode of NRGI's podcast Ana Carolina González Espinosa converses with NRGI president emeritus Daniel Kaufmann about evolutions needed in the resource governance field in light of the climate emergency, conflict in Ukraine, and other global challenges. Listen on SoundCloud or watch on YouTube. (See also related commentary by Kaufmann and Mario Picon

Colombia: la transición energética en la encrucijada electoral

President-elect Gustavo Petro’s energy transition proposals mark a reversal for extractives policy in Colombia. In this Spanish-language post, NRGI's Juliana Peña Niño and Fernando Patzy examine the challenges and opportunities ahead.

Raw Materials Pose ESG Challenge for Electric Vehicle Industry
In a University of Pennsylvania podcast, Hervé Lado and David Manley explore the economic, environmental and social challenges around the mining of cobalt in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, drawing on recent NRGI research.

Oversight of Beneficial Owners Can Strengthen Integrity in the Transition to Renewable Energy
In a guest post for the Global Anticorruption Blog, NRGI's Erica Westenberg and Open Ownership's Alanna Markle explain the critical relevance of beneficial ownership transparency in a sustainable energy transition.

BBC World Business Report: Glencore's Corruption Cases
NRGI's Alexandra Gillies spoke to the BBC World Service about Glencore's bribery admissions and what they mean for corruption and the natural resource sector more broadly (beginning 10m 5s.)

Blog posts

La RDC et les batteries électriques : ouvrir le débat à l’ensemble des parties prenantes
In this French-language post Descartes Mponge Malasi, Roger Vutsoro and Hervé Lado explore how to ensure a strong public debate around the DRC's cobalt industry and the country's vision for development. (NRGI convened a national dialogue on the opportunities related to the energy transition in the DRC's mining sector. Learn more in this French-language thread.)

Soutenir les citoyens Guinéens dans le suivi des impacts des projets miniers
The implementation of the provisions of the Guinean mining code requires citizen involvement. This French-language post presents NRGI's project, in partnership with GIZ, to support civic engagement.

Publications

Resource-Backed Loans in Ghana: Risks, Opportunities and Lessons
Resource-backed loans in Ghana, as elsewhere in sub-Saharan Africa, have been largely characterized by unrealistic projections of loan amounts and potential projects; this has resulted in disbursement challenges and project funding bottlenecks. NRGI's Denis Gyeyir documents key lessons in this briefing.

NRGI End-of-Year Review 2021
In 2021—the second year of NRGI's six-year strategy—resource-rich developing countries faced stark and unprecedented economic, governance and social justice challenges. This report highlights some of the positive outcomes achieved by NRGI with its partners in 2021.

Events

Exploring Sustainable Pathways to Energy Transition: Are Investments in Renewable Energies Sustainable for Africa?

The next session in the event series for civil society in East & Southern Africa on sustainable pathways and investment in renewable energy in Africa will take place on 6 July. Register.

Equitable Energy Transition in Light of Global Crises: What to Expect for Resource Producer Countries

On 22 July, NRGI and ETH NADEL will host an online discussion on equitable energy transition in light of global crises, and the implications for resource-producing countries. Register.

How Can Tanzania Best Harness Natural Resources for the Realization of its Development Goals Within the Context of Climate Change?
NRGI and REPOA will host a training for civil society actors, policymakers and other extractive sector stakeholders in Tanzania on natural resources and Tanzania's development goals in the context of climate change. Applications are open until 8 July.