Saleem H. Ali

Conflict translates environmental and social risk into business costs

Significance In this report we investigate company–community conflict and its role in the regulation of sustainability performance in the extractive industries. We estimate the cost of conflict to companies and identify conflict as an important means through which environmental and social risks are translated into business costs and decision-making. The paper clarifies the relationship between the environmental and social risk experienced—and interpreted—by local communities, and the business risks experienced—and interpreted—by corporations. Findings reveal that, at least for the case of the extractive industries, these two types of risk can co-constitute each other. The central importance of corporate strategy and behavior for sustainability science is highlighted. Sustainability science has grown as a field of inquiry, but has said little about the role of large-scale private sector actors in socio-ecological systems change. However, the shaping of global trends and transitions depends greatly on the private sector and its development impact. Market-based and command-and-control policy instruments have, along with corporate citizenship, been the predominant means for bringing sustainable development priorities into private sector decision-making. This research identifies conflict as a further means through which environmental and social risks are translated into business costs and decision making. Through in-depth interviews with finance, legal, and sustainability professionals in the extractive industries, and empirical case analysis of 50 projects worldwide, this research reports on the financial value at stake when conflict erupts with local communities. Over the past decade, high commodity prices have fueled the expansion of mining and hydrocarbon extraction. These developments profoundly transform environments, communities, and economies, and frequently generate social conflict. Our analysis shows that mining and hydrocarbon companies fail to factor in the full scale of the costs of conflict. For example, as a result of conflict, a major, world-class mining project with capital expenditure of between US

Mineral supply for sustainable development requires resource governance

3 and US

Sustainability of Rare Earths—An Overview of the State of Knowledge

5 billion was reported to suffer roughly US

Environmental Planning and Cooperative Behavior: Catalyzing Sustainable Consensus

20 million per week of delayed production in net present value terms. Clear analysis of the costs of conflict provides sustainability professionals with a strengthened basis to influence corporate decision making, particularly when linked to corporate values. Perverse outcomes of overemphasizing a cost analysis are also discussed.

Water Scarcity and Institutional Reform in Southern Africa

Successful delivery of the United Nations sustainable development goals and implementation of the Paris Agreement requires technologies that utilize a wide range of minerals in vast quantities. Metal recycling and technological change will contribute to sustaining supply, but mining must continue and grow for the foreseeable future to ensure that such minerals remain available to industry. New links are needed between existing institutional frameworks to oversee responsible sourcing of minerals, trajectories for mineral exploration, environmental practices, and consumer awareness of the effects of consumption. Here we present, through analysis of a comprehensive set of data and demand forecasts, an interdisciplinary perspective on how best to ensure ecologically viable continuity of global mineral supply over the coming decades.

Have you been to ‘The Arctic’? Frame theory and the role of media coverage in shaping Arctic discourse

Rare Earths (RE) have been the focus of much attention in recent years as a consequence of a number of converging factors, prominent among which are: centralization of supply (in China), unique applications in high-end technologies particularly in the low-carbon energy industry, and global demand outstripping availability. Despite this focus, RE supply chain sustainability has not been examined in depth or in any systematic manner. This paper provides an initial review of RE sustainability considerations at present, including current initiatives to understand the research and development needs. The analysis highlights a broad range of areas needing consolidation with future research and calls for collaboration between industry and academia to understand the sustainability considerations of these critical elements in more depth.

Sustainability certification schemes: evaluating their effectiveness and adaptability

Environmental concerns have been framed in the planning profession as manifestations of resource scarcity, and hence a contributing factor in community conflicts. While mismanaged environmental scarcity can certainly lead to conflict, there is also considerable potential to stimulate cooperation on the basis of environmental scarcity itself. In the language of game theory, the latter outcome can be obtained by converting “dilemmas of common competing interests” to “dilemmas of common aversion.” The cooperation which would result from the use of environmental concerns as a binding element in conflicts among parties, is likely to catalyze a more “sustainable consensus”—a robust contract between erstwhile adversaries.Planners are in a unique position to glean the positive attributes of environmental indicators since they can bridge technical knowledge of environmental impact with an understanding of sociopolitical context at community consultation forums. This paper attempts to provide the theoretical basis for this approach and develop examples of how such a strategy for conflict resolution may be implemented.

Local Sustainability and Gender Ratio: Evaluating the Impacts of Mining and Tourism on Sustainable Development in Yunnan, China

Abstract The situation in Southern Africa with regard to water scarcity is particularly acute. Southern Africa has historically been an area of extreme tension in the wake of post-colonial exploitation and the delineation of boundaries for countries that often defy ethnic differences. It is also a region that has endured economic disparities of an extreme kind, ranging from the despicable practice of apartheid to the development disparities caused by differing resource endowments. Some countries, particularly those north of the Zambezi River, are faced with a tough choice of whether or not to use water for their own uses or to succumb to the economic carrot offered by the diamond-rich countries of South Africa, Botswana, and Namibia. Environmental criteria are often the losers in such bargains, along with underprivileged tribal populations. This article documents the current water management regimes in the Southern African subcontinent and explores the possibility of establishing a Southern African Water ...

Corrigendum: Mineral supply for sustainable development requires resource governance

ABSTRACT The value of theory in drawing lessons from empirical cases remains elusive in the Arctic. In the introduction to this special issue, we develop broad theoretical underpinnings to consider how frame analysis can better inform Arctic research. We build on a research synthesis from a collaborative anthology focused on diplomacy in polar regions [Pincus, R., & Ali, S. H. (Eds.). (2015). Diplomacy on ice: Energy and the environment in the Arctic and Antarctic. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press]. Here, we review aspects of media and communication theory, in particular frame theory, and contextualize theoretically the common tropes of Arctic political conflict, centered on the so-called race or scramble for the Arctic. After introducing and identifying concepts of framing and discourse and discussing how these concepts are relevant to Arctic issues, the paper will address why these concepts are important to policy-makers, stakeholders, and the public. What are the impacts of conflict-driven frames as applied to Arctic sovereignty or development questions? We explore how frames impact diplomacy in contested spaces, such as the Arctic, and how to draw cooperative lessons from these discourses. Finally, the papers that make up this special edition are placed in relation to the broader topic.

Conflict translates social and environmental risk into business costs

Purpose New sustainability certification schemes (SCS) with different scope, governance structure and operating practice are fast emerging. This rapid growth and divergence in metrics has resulted in questions about the effectiveness of such schemes. Although this practice has been growing fast, to date, there are no reviews comprehensively synthesising the literature regarding SCS’ main flaws, challenges and improvement opportunities. This paper aims to identify what are the key components affecting effectiveness of SCS, highlighting their benefits, flaws and improvement opportunities. Design/methodology/approach An integrated literature review was conducted to identify and assess recent studies related to the benefits, flaws, effectiveness and improvement opportunities of SCS worldwide. Findings Key components affecting the effectiveness of SCS were identified (sustainability awareness; market access; management systems and productivity; social, environmental and economic impacts; monitoring outcomes; competition, overlapping and interoperability; stakeholder participation; and accountability and transparency). The authors argue that SCS to succeed have to be effective; provide accountability about their goals and achievements; and manage stakeholders’ expectations. Civil Society’s awareness of the scientific underpinnings of sustainability issues also contributes to the existence and improvement of such schemes. Research limitations/implications The limitations of this study are associated with the secondary material that was publicly available for our literature review. Originality/value This paper fulfils an identified need to explore the key components affecting effectiveness of SCS, their benefits, flaws and improvement opportunities. Such a synthesis also identifies the key areas where interoperability between SCS should be pursued by corporations and governments.