Browsing by Author "Schwarte, Christoph"

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Building Public Trust: Transnationals in the Community
(2009) Schwarte, Christoph
"Big business and poor communities can make for an uneasy fit. Transnational corporations in oil, gas and mining, for instance, have come under fire from civil society organisations for adverse impacts on local environment and livelihoods. With international pressure for a solution growing, a number of these corporations are working towards inbuilt accountability. As the experience of some shows, corporate grievance and redress mechanisms can fill the gap left by weak governance structures in host countries. Yet will this ensure true accountability and, if so, how likely is it that TNCs will embrace them as good practice?"
Public Participation and Oil Exploitation in Uganda
(2008) Schwarte, Christoph
"In 2006 oil was discovered in Uganda. With the country’s economy highly dependent on fuel imports, national oil production could make a long-term contribution to poverty alleviation. But for sustainable development to occur, participatory governance must ensure that people are involved in the decision-making processes affecting their lives. This paper, therefore, first analyses the adequacy of the existing legal framework on access to information and participation. Its findings show that although law and policy in Uganda indicate certain efforts to open up environmental decision-making processes to public influence, this is not the case in the oil production sector. On the basis of interviews and focus group studies it further examines the main practical barriers to better public participation. The author finds that in practice, public participation is subject to several financial,technical and political constraints. The culture of secrecy within government bodies, weak civil society structures as well as the politics of patronage remain substantive challenges for the fair and equitable management of natural resources in Uganda."
Taking Control: How Citizens Can Hold Industry to Account
(2009) Wilson, Emma; Schwarte, Christoph; Cotula, Lorenzo; Garside, Ben; Siegele, Linda
"The oil, gas and mining industries look set to remain major players in global development, despite urgent efforts to end the world’s fossil fuel dependency and diversify energy sources. The activities of the extractive industries often impinge directly, and sometimes harshly, on communities and the environment. But local people are rising to the challenge. From Azerbaijan to Nigeria, Kazakhstan, Mali and Mongolia, citizens are working to promote transparency, accountability and responsible practice in these industries. A lack of skills and resources can impede crucial progress – so knowing the tools that work to make industry accountable is key."