Extractive resources such as oil, gas, minerals and timber can have a transformative impact on the development trajectory of a country. They can create jobs, generate revenue to fund basic government services and stimulate further economic growth.
However, harnessing these opportunities presents numerous challenges and pitfalls. This is especially the case in countries affected by fragility, conflict and violence.
UN Environment’s initial work on extractive resources within the context of the Environmental Cooperation for Peacebuilding programme, began within the EU-UN Partnership on Land, Natural Resources and Conflict Prevention. Two flagship publications were produced, as well as one discussion paper with the World Bank on conflict prevention in the extractives sector.
Environmental transparency and extractives: MAP-X
Based on this initial collaboration, UN Environment and the World Bank then established a partnership at the request of the g7+ group of fragile states to build an authoritative information platform for the extractives sector called MAP-X.
MAP-X aims to equalize stakeholder access to authoritative financial, social and environmental information in the extractive sector. This will be accomplished by developing an information platform for extractive sector, offering a series of analytical tools, and establishing processes to use the platform to inform dialogue, benefit sharing and compliance monitoring. By reducing information asymmetries among stakeholders, MAP-X hopes to improve the equitable distribution of benefits and risks among extractive sector stakeholders, including financial, social and environmental dimensions.
MAP-X was developed at the request of the g7+ group of conflict affected countries and is being designed to support on-going EITI reporting as well as other related transparency initiatives and the Sustainable Development Goals. Ultimately, MAP-X is a tool to build confidence between stakeholders in the extractive sector that should help share and maximize benefits for peacebuilding and sustainable development. The MAP-X platform.
UN Environment - Oil for Development Partnership
Norway and UN Environment have established a 5-year collaboration (2016-2021) to enhance national capacities for improved environmental management of the oil and gas sectors in fragile and vulnerable countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America. This new partnership aims to strengthen environmental management and reduce environmental risks associated with the development of hydrocarbon resources. Find out more about the project here.
Related Publications
- High-Value Natural Resources and Post-Conflict Peacebuilding.
Edited by Päivi Lujala and Siri Aas Rustad. (UN Environment and ELI). 30 case studies, Earthscan, Published in January 2012. - UN-EU Guidance note: Conflict Prevention in Resource Rich Economies
(UNDP and EU-UN Partnership on Land, Natural Resources and Conflict). Published in September 2012. - UN-EU Guidance note: Managing and preventing conflicts over extractive resources
(DPA and EU-UN Partnership on Land, Natural Resources and Conflict). Published in September 2012. - The Extractive Industries Value Chain as a Framework for Conflict Prevention in Resource-Rich Countries.
2015.
