Fostering a Better Dialogue Towards Sustainable, Inclusive Natural Resource Governance

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Thank you for gathering here today to address one of the most pressing issues of our time: the sustainable and inclusive governance of our natural resources. We stand at a critical juncture, facing a triple planetary crisis comprising climate change, biodiversity loss, and waste. These challenges are interlinked and demand a deliberate, intentional approach to drive inclusive, sustainable natural resource governance.

The Triple Planetary Crisis

The reality of the triple planetary crisis cannot be overstated. Climate change, biodiversity loss, and waste are not isolated phenomena but interconnected issues that exacerbate one another. Understanding this interconnectedness is crucial for developing comprehensive strategies to address these challenges.

Climate Change: The increasing concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere has led to global warming, resulting in extreme weather events, rising sea levels, and shifting climatic patterns. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), global temperatures have already risen by approximately 1.1°C above pre-industrial levels, with devastating impacts on ecosystems and human societies .

Biodiversity Loss: The degradation of ecosystems and habitats has led to a significant decline in biodiversity, threatening the survival of numerous species and disrupting ecological balance – driven by development and growth priorities. The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) reports that global wildlife populations have declined by 68% on average since 1970 .

Waste: The accumulation of waste, particularly plastic and hazardous materials, poses severe risks to human health and the environment. The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) estimates that 300 million tonnes of plastic waste are produced each year, with a significant portion ending up in oceans. Other forms of waste exacerbate this in a fast-fashion industry and with e-waste. Energy options too present waster challenges.

To tackle these issues effectively, we must adopt a holistic approach that recognizes their interconnected nature. This requires integrating environmental, social, and economic considerations into our policies and actions.

Energy: Accessible, Affordable, Cleaner, and Greener

Energy is at the heart of our development aspirations and environmental challenges. It must be accessible, affordable, cleaner, and greener. Despite 28 Conference of Parties (COP) meetings and numerous initiatives, the time has come to reflect, reframe the conversation, and drive new narratives.

Dominant Narratives

Several dominant narratives have shaped the discourse on natural resource governance:

Historical Responsibility for Emissions: The argument that developed countries bear a greater responsibility for historical emissions. Developed countries have contributed approximately 79% of historical CO2 emissions since the Industrial Revolution .

Unjust Impacts of Climate Change: Balancing the need for green energy with addressing energy poverty and aligning development aspirations with a greener future. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), nearly 770 million people worldwide still lack access to electricity, predominantly in Sub-Saharan Africa .

Trapped Assets and Who Pays: The debate over who bears the cost of stranded assets in the transition to a low-carbon economy. A report by Carbon Tracker estimates that the global fossil fuel industry could lose up to $1 trillion in stranded assets by 2035 .

The Resource Gap: The disparity between the resources needed and those available for sustainable development. The United Nations estimates that achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) will require $5-7 trillion per year, with a significant financing gap remaining .

A "Transitions" Debate: The discussions on the nature and pace of transitions required for a sustainable future. The Energy Transitions Commission suggests that a rapid transition to a low-carbon economy is both feasible and economically beneficial, but it requires substantial investment and policy support .

Fault Lines in the Narrative

These narratives have significant fault lines that impede progress:

• They are often problematized rather than consensus-based and narrowly focused on opportunities.
• They drive contesting theories of cause and effect, leading to entrenched views.
• They tend to be siloed, failing to find common ground and pitting interests against each other.
• They pay lip service to political economy analysis, incentives and the drivers of change.
• They often rely on technical solutions while ignoring power dynamics.
• They discuss incentives in ways that overlook mutual understanding and self-interest.
• They largely ignore behavioral sciences and what drives patterns or understanding how to shift these through incentives. 
• They avoid addressing elephants in the room, such as finance, behavior, and consumption patterns.
• They conflate complex discussions into simple narratives that dissipate action.
• They provide misleading solutions that can confuse rather than clarify.

Important Considerations

To move forward, we need to integrate several important considerations into our narratives:

Siloed Decision-Making: Siloed decision-making impairs our ability to see the interconnectedness of various factors. We must adopt integrated approaches that consider macro-economic, political, and sectoral impacts.

Resource Scarcity and Unequal Distribution: Resource scarcity and unequal distribution drive conflicts. The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) highlights that resource conflicts are often linked to issues of scarcity and unequal distribution of benefits. These disincentivise action.

Stakeholder Interests: Inadequate consideration of stakeholder interests hampers progress. We must ensure inclusive decision-making.

Race to the Bottom: Unsustainable extraction practices lead to a race to the bottom. We need sustainable extraction approaches that deliver equitable value.

Contextual Variations: Different contexts and experiences must be integrated into our approaches. The Global Environment Outlook (GEO) emphasizes the need for context-specific solutions to environmental challenges .

No Silver Bullets: There are no one-size-fits-all solutions. We need a suite of responses.

Differentiated Interests: We must emphasize common ground, collaboration, and coordination while recognizing shared responsibilities.

Political and Technical Bridges: Solutions must be both political and technical.

Shifting the Narrative

We need to shift from viewing natural resource governance as a "wicked problem" to seeing it as an opportunity. This requires holistic approaches, adaptive and responsive governance, and collaborative stewardship from global to local levels. We must base our actions on evidence, adopt iterative approaches, and leverage technology to mitigate risks.

Common Challenges: We all face the same challenge and must bring our unique comparative advantages to the table. Developing countries have lower emissions but are abound with natural resources needed for green transitions, while developed countries have technology and resources to facilitate the transition but are saddled with transition costs of high carbon-dependent models.

Cost Distribution: Both developed and developing countries will all have to bear costs. Historical emitters must retrofit and transition more, while those with higher impacts need to adapt more as well as grow greener.

Financial Challenges: Finances are a challenge everywhere. We must adopt an investment mindset. The World Bank highlights the need for innovative financing mechanisms to support sustainable development .

Commitment to Actions: Actions are needed everywhere, and we must all commit to them.

Extraction Models: Existing models of extraction and comparative advantage limit wider shared aspirations.

Big Issues to Address

We need to agree on shared aspirations and what we are trying to achieve in different contexts. This includes:

Energy Consumption Models: High-consumption locations must recalibrate downwards and transition away from carbon, while expanding demand areas must build on sustainable, low-carbon trajectories.

Responsible Production and Consumption: Align behaviors around responsible and sustainable production and consumption to address biodiversity loss and waste.

Imbalances and Incentives: Address existing imbalances and create new incentives.

Finding Finance: Explore innovative financing models beyond traditional pots to achieve our goals without creating new dependencies.

Leveraging Technology and Innovation: Ensure equitable access to technology and innovation that can drive transformation.

Aligning Incentives: Align incentives at personal and governance levels to achieve equitable dividends and account for stranded assets.

Principles of Win-Win Approaches

To find win-win solutions, we must adhere to several principles:

Clear Communication: Level the understanding and intention field through clear and aligned communication. We must start ‘saying the same thing’

Trust: Build trust among stakeholders – often this is undermined when we are not ‘on the same page’.

No Zero-Sum Games: Avoid approaches that amplify contestation.

Honest Conversations: Engage in honest and transparent conversations and create scenarios that enable trade-offs to not lock eack other in perpetual traps.

Aligned Interests: Ensure interests are aligned – and delivered on.

Power Sharing: Share power equitably.

Inclusivity: Be inclusive of different levels, genders, and inequalities. This conversation barely speaks to gender for example – this is a huge gap (not explored deeply here)

Acknowledging Differences: Recognize cultural, value-based, and process-based differences and the challenges these present when ‘one-size fits all’ solutions are being designed.

Creativity and co-creation: Break out of traditional molds and be creative. Co-create solutions rather than compete. Sankofa!

Flexibility: Adopt flexible, iterative, progressive, and reflective approaches but within predictable governance frameworks.

Leveraging Bridge Strategies

Several bridge strategies are already in place and advancing and can help us move forward:

Policy and Regulatory Incentives: Implement policies and regulations that incentivize sustainable practices.

Systemic Incentives: Link incentives to broader sustainable development aspirations.

Innovative Finance: Explore carbon finance and other innovative financing models.

Comparative Advantage Models: Utilize nature swaps and other models to leverage comparative advantages.

CSR to ESG Transition: Transition from Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) to Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) frameworks.

Values-Based Campaigns: Promote values-based campaigns that drive sustainable behaviors.

Innovation and Technology: Align innovation and technology with sustainability aspirations.

Consumer Preferences: Shift consumer preferences towards greener products.

Pragmatic Solutions: Balance pragmatic solutions with scalable approaches.

Stakeholder Engagement: Address stakeholder interests across governments, the private sector, and communities.

Aligning Behavior

We need to align behavior at both personal and private sector levels:

Overcoming Bias: Address cognitive biases that hinder progress.

Social Norms: Challenge and change social norms.

Building Awareness: Increase awareness of sustainable practices.

Cognitive Overload: Simplify information to reduce cognitive overload.

Government and Private Sector Opportunities

The private sector can drive change through various mechanisms:

Rewards Systems: Implement reward systems at individual and community levels.

Gamification: Use gamification to promote sustainable behaviors.

Loyalty and Rewards: Offer loyalty and rewards programs for sustainable actions.

Impact Labelling: Introduce impact labeling to inform consumers.

Incentives and Rebates: Provide incentives and rebates for sustainable practices.

Real-Time Monitoring: Use real-time monitoring technologies to track progress and incentivize behaviour shifts.

Investment Opportunities: Create investment opportunities in sustainable projects.

Circular Economy Platforms: Develop platforms for engaging in the circular economy ‘on the go’ - .

Governance Challenges

Governments face several challenges in driving sustainable change:

Policy Myopia: Overcome short-term thinking through long-term framing.

Institutional Inertia: Address institutional inertia to implement change.

Corruption and Poor Governance: Tackle corruption and improve governance.

Coordination and Coherence: Ensure coordination and coherence across policies and actions.

Trade-Offs: Balance short-term and long-term gains.

Data: Improve data collection and analysis and its use in policy decision making.

Investments in R&D: Increase investments in research and development. VNRs identify this as crucial in developing countries and yet not enough is being done

Enabling Environment: Create an enabling environment for investments that are predictable, not obfuscated with complexity and unwarranted ‘risk’ premiums.

Compliance Monitoring: Strengthen compliance monitoring and standardization.

Market Integration: Align and integrate markets for sustainable development. AftCTA offers great opportunities

Opportunities for Africa

Africa has unique opportunities to lead the way in sustainable development and must flip the narrative from ‘problem’ to opportunity:

No Historical Carbon Legacy: Africa has a lower historical carbon footprint, making green growth more feasible. According to the African Development Bank, Africa contributes less than 4% of global greenhouse gas emissions .

Natural Resources: Africa possesses 46 out of 66 minerals needed for green transitions. The African Union highlights the continent's vast mineral resources as critical for the green energy transition .

Carbon Sink: Africa is the second-largest carbon sink, offering opportunities for carbon finance. The Congo Basin, for instance, sequesters over 1.2 billion tonnes of CO2 annually .

Indigenous Knowledge: Leverage indigenous knowledge and practices for sustainable development. Examples abound everywhere.

Arable Land: Africa has over half of the globe’s arable land, enabling green and smart agriculture. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) emphasizes the potential of Africa's agricultural sector .

Circular Economy: Expand the circular economy based on local practices and integration of approaches to waste with climate and economy. UNEP highlights the potential for circular economy practices to drive sustainable development in Africa .

AfCFTA: The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is the world’s largest trading bloc, offering significant opportunities. The World Bank estimates that AfCFTA could boost Africa’s income by $450 billion by 2035 .

Call to Action

In conclusion, we must adopt win-win approaches and a different mindset to achieve breakthrough transformation. Sustainable inter-dependence and equitable approaches are essential. Developed countries need to move away from narrow interests, pursue equity-based models, and address responsible production and consumption. Developing countries must take responsibility, ensure policy congruence, adopt an investment mindset, and leverage indigenous knowledge and technology, including AI.

Let us work together to foster a better dialogue towards sustainable, inclusive natural resource governance. Together, we can create a future that benefits all. And that can come sooner than we currently predict and avert the looming crisis and potential catastrophe. 

We can achieve this with the right mindset, deployment of the right capacities, amplifying accountability, and investing in the most catalytic and transformative opportunities – collaboratively.

Thank you.