This paper presents information illustrating how trade in timber, gems, and gold is financing violent conflict, including widespread and gross human rights abuses, in Burma.

A publication from Engineers Against Poverty for the extractive industries - an eight-page briefing note to guide oil, gas and mining (OGM) companies on how they can maximise the contribution of local enterprises to the supply chain of their projects in low income countries. It provides practical guidance on three major opportunity areas to increase local enterprise participation in project supply chains:

modifying procurement policies and processes
modifying contract documentation
supporting the efficacy of supplier development programs

As cities expand, a key challenge is securing water supplies for urban populations and disposing of pollution while minimising impacts on peri-urban communities and the environment.  This book describes the conflicts, dialogues and negotiations underway in peri-urban areas of many cities in the South. 

This book, prepared by the Philippine Environmental Governance Project, serves as a reference guide for field personnel in guiding communities, investors, local government units, private persons and other organisations desiring to apply for tenure instruments on forest lands.The book covers all existing tenure and allocation agreements for the management and use of forest resources in forest lands. Agreements generally refer to long-term tenure instruments in forest lands with right of occupation.

This collection of articles looks at the role of natural resources in Western Sahara and outlines the framework for Western Sahara’s independence from Morocco.There is no doubt that the question of the natural resources of Western Sahara such as fish, oil and phosphates has been the main reason for the interest in the area in question.

The incidence of skin diseases, including leishmaniasis, spread by different varieties of sandflies in tropical areas has increased dramatically in humans. Because of deforestation, sandflies have encroached further into human settlements. Here they have begun to infect domestic animals and humans. What can be done to control this trend? Researchers studied the impact that insecticide impregnated curtains have had on skin leishmaniasis.

This working paper explores adaptation options in Central Asia. It describes the results of research conducted by a technical assistance in Central Asia. The research combined field observations with satellite-based data and created models to demonstrate the impacts of climate change on the hydrology of the Aral Sea Basin. The adaptation options explored can be summarised in three broad categories: 1) Expanding the supply of water available in the future, 2) Increasing the productivity of water and 3) Reducing future demand for water.

The growing scale of resource development activities accentuates the complexity underlying the sustainability of traditional livelihoods in Mongolia. At the same time, Mongolia experiences growing vulnerability to climatic variability and change, expressed in the form of intense desertification, water stress, and extreme dzuds.

Brief analysis of the situation within Cambodia’s forestry sector, and a round up of information obtained during Global Witness’ investigations.

This paper summarises BASIS research on the current state of decentralisation processes in Malawi with a focus on water resources.The following specific points and recommendations emerge from the policy review and case study:much will need to be done to draw reforms in Malawi’s environmental sector to people’s attention.

In 1992, a United Nations declaration proclaimed water as a human right. However, the water profession and the vast majority of governments in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region have not paid much attention.
This online book systematically analyses the legal development of the concept of water as a human right with particular reference to MENA countries. It considers:

Many Latin American countries are rich with natural resources like oil, gas and minerals, and they have a wealth of experience to share in terms of the investment policies they have pursued to develop their extractive industries.

This selection of publications highlights key resources documenting and analysing the following aspects of the Latin American investment policy experience: Gas Sector, Oil Sector, Mining Sector, Choice of Policy Model, and Rents, Taxes and Royalties.