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Social life cycle assessment in current and future Norwegian livestock production

Resource Key: WSHIP89D

Document Type: Journal Article

Creator:

Date: July 2024

Language: en

Purpose: This study is a social life cycle assessment (S-LCA) of per capita consumption of animal protein in Norway in 2019. The animal protein consisted of milk, beef, pork, poultry and egg. Based on the 2019 results, two scenarios, TrendProd and ChangeProd, were qualitatively assessed. The TrendProd scenario is a continuation of the current trend towards highly efficient livestock production, whilst ChangeProd focuses on using livestock feed based on bioresources that are unsuitable for human consumption.
Methods: The assessment of current livestock production followed the updated version of the social LCA guidelines by UNEP (2020). A survey amongst stakeholders was conducted for the selection of subcategories. The product system was divided into the following steps: imported feed, domestic off-farm feed, livestock production, manufacturing, distribution and use. A total of 25 subcategories across six stakeholder groups (i.e. workers, local community, society, value chain actors, consumers and children) were included in the assessment. A reference scale approach was used with a scale from 1 to 4. The assessment included quantitative and qualitative data from statistics, indices, surveys, etc. The social performance of the scenarios was assessed by the authors’ expert evaluation using the Delphi approach, comparing performance of indicators relative to the current production.
Results and discussion: The life cycle for the current Norwegian livestock production had an acceptable or high social performance for 17 of the selected subcategories. Five subcategories had a low performance (fair salary, equal opportunities, animal welfare, food security, promoting social responsibility) and three had a very low performance (health and safety, cultural heritage, fair competition). The assessment of the scenarios indicated that anticipated improvements in skills and technology were key drivers for maintaining or enhancing social performance in certain subcategories. The use of activity variables for measuring the relative importance of each unit process is recommended as it reflects actual distribution and is consistent with the method of environmental LCA.

Social life cycle hotspot analysis of future hydrogen use in the EU

Resource Key: BDAVE3VH

Document Type: Journal Article

Creator:

Date: July 2024

Language: en

Purpose The widespread use of hydrogen in the EU aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions may involve complex value chains (e.g. importation from third countries) with potential effects (positive or negative) on the different sectors of society. Achieving sustainable hydrogen deployment must be motivated not only by environmental and economic aspects but also by social responsibility and the search for human well-being. Given this, and the scarcity of studies currently available on prospective social impacts of hydrogen production, the present purpose of this article is to unveil and assess the main social impacts linked to the future hydrogen value chains. Methods The methodological approach adopted in this article encompasses the following steps: (i) analysis of two potential value chains for hydrogen use in EU: an on-site option, where hydrogen is produced and used in the same European country, and an off-site option, where hydrogen is produced in a European country different from its usage involving more unit processes, in terms of storage and transport activities, and working time to deliver the same quantity of hydrogen. This framework will include (i) scenario analysis and a forward-looking perspective taking into account the critical raw materials employed across the entire value chain, (ii) identification of a list of relevant social impact categories and indicators through a systematic procedure, (iii) social hotspot analysis using Product Social Impact Life Cycle Assessment (PSILCA) to assess the selected representative value chains, and (iv) conducting scenario analysis and subsequently interpreting of results. Results and discussion The off-site value chain shows a relatively worse social performance (6 to 72 times) than the on-site value chain across most selected indicators due to the more complex value chain. Although the identification of social hotspots depends on the specific social indicator under evaluation, the power source components (wind and solar PV) manufacturing processes and the relatively increased complexity of the off-site option highly conditioned the social performance of the hydrogen value chains in most of the indicators considered. A scenario analysis was carried out comparing both value chains with two additional loca tions for hydrogen production: Northern Africa and Western Asia. The findings indicate that the on-site value chain presents the lowest impact scores. For the off-site option, the production of hydrogen in a European country is the most preferable scenario in terms of the social indicators evaluated. Conclusions According to findings, producing hydrogen in a different location than where it is consumed increases the social impacts of its deployment. Measures at mid and long term should be considered for improving the social impact of hydro gen deployment in Europe. This includes increasing reuse and recycling, responsibly sourcing raw materials, and creating regulatory frameworks ensuring safe working conditions across global value chains. Furthermore, this article highlights the crucial role of the S-LCA methodology in evaluating social aspects as a support for targeted policy interventions, and the need to adapt this to the specific case study. At the same time, it acknowledges that other relevant social aspects that can influence the social sustainability of the hydrogen technology are not captured with this methodology (in particular social acceptance, affordability and energy security). Improvements in selecting indicators and refined geographical and temporal representations of the value chains to better represent hydrogen technologies and future size market are research gaps filled in the present scientific work.

S-LCA of lithium mining in Chile and its potential impacts on water and the local community

Resource Key: I39S7X26

Document Type: Journal Article

Creator:

Date: 2024

Language: en

Purpose: Lithium is critical to the clean energy transition, specifically for lithium-ion batteries in electric vehicles and grid-level energy storage. Chile is a major source of lithium hydroxide and lithium carbonate from brine. The main production facilities are in the Salar de Atacama (SdA), a hyper-arid region home to indigenous communities. A social life cycle assessment (S-LCA) was conducted to better understand the potential impacts of lithium mining on these communities, particularly in relation to water consumption as this is a concern within the region.
Methods: A cradle-to-gate S-LCA on lithium was performed from brine extraction to the gate of the chemical plant. A hotspot analysis using the Social Hotspots Database (SHDB), in combination with literature and local discussions, was used to prioritize stakeholder groups and subcategories for data collection. Local community, Worker, and Society were selected as stakeholder groups. Subcategories for the Local community included Access to material resources (with a focus on freshwater), Cultural heritage, Respect of indigenous rights, Community engagement, and Local employment. Data sources included primary data from a mining company and interviews with the local community during a site visit. The reference scale approach was applied using Chilean laws and international best practices.
Results and discussion: Two scoring approaches yielded different scores on the reference scale. With an average scoring approach, all subcategories were at compliance level or above for all stakeholders. The mining company has many projects and initiatives ongoing to improve the wellbeing of the local community. Policies and projects lead to higher scores when applying the average scoring approach. However, with a precautionary approach, where the worst performing indicator determines the score, four subcategories were identified as potential issues for the Local community: Access to material resources — freshwater, Access to material resources — agriculture, Delocalization and migration, and Respect of indigenous rights. For Access to material resources — freshwater, local community members had varying perspectives on freshwater scarcity, but some connected it to lithium mining and also described the cultural importance of water.
Conclusions: The results of this S-LCA can be used to better understand the potential social impacts from lithium production and how they can be improved. Recommendations are provided to address the potential social impacts of lithium mining in the SdA, including continuing increased communication and projects with the communities, fostering initiatives to improve the understanding of the lithium production process, and considering that community members have equal access to benefit from projects.

Social consequences of wood‑based innovations: a generic analysis of sectoral differences in Austria

Resource Key: BRB3LVY8

Document Type: Journal Article

Creator:

Date: 2024

Language: en

Purpose: To model the overall social consequences of changing wood utilization, a system perspective is needed that encom passes the entire wood utilization system in a defined region. The aim of this study was to analyze the social performance of wood-based industries in Austria using sector-specific data and to use less disaggregated data to depict social risks in the resource extraction phase. Additionally, the social consequences of innovations in terms of the social performance of a sector and potential side effects on other wood-based industries were analyzed. Methods: Differences in the sectoral social performance of forestry and wood-based industries in Austria were analyzed using sectoral data for 11 different social indicators (e.g., occupational injuries, woman in managerial positions) collected at official sites in Austria. To calculate the overall social performance of the sector, sectoral data from Austria need to be combined with data from other sources representing the value chain (e.g., from resource extracting countries). This enables the social consequences of a change to be analyzed by including the social indicators in the system dynamics model WOODSIM. The WOODSIM model depicts the Austrian wood utilization system, allowing the user to model direct and indirect effects of introducing an innovation in a particular industry on the social performance of industries in the wood utilization system. Results and discussion: The results show that social risks can differ depending on the sectoral context even within the same country (e.g., occupational injuries in wood harvesting compared to textile production). The most dangerous sectors (in terms of injuries) are forestry and construction (34 and 3 times higher than Austrian average, respectively). Including the risks of resource extraction affects the social performance of the industries. Surprisingly, the median for Austria is 1434 accidents per 100,000 employees, whereas it is only 592 for all countries combined. Modeling the social consequences with system dynamics reveals that some innovations can result in bigger improvements in social performance than others, mostly due to the existence of more globalized value chains. Conclusions: This work illustrates the importance of including sectoral information when performing generic social life cycle assessments and models the social consequences of an innovation for the first time using system dynamics modeling. To avoid overestimating positive effects when analyzing consequences, a systems perspective must be taken. Better and more disaggregated data are needed to depict the social performance of sectors more accurately.

Litigating Climate Justice in Renewable Energy Projects: Reflections from Unión Hidalgo v EDF

Resource Key: M4QRCEUE

Document Type: Journal Article

Creator:

Date: May 2025

Language: en

Reflecting on the civil claim filed in France under the French Duty of Vigilance law (LdV) by members of the Union Hidalgo community in Mexico against the energy company Electricité de France (EDF), this article explores interactions between human rights due diligence in renewable energy projects. The lawsuit is one of the first cases brought under the LdV, and the first case claiming violations of Indigenous rights. The rights violations experienced by the community—the lack of free, prior and informed consent and violence against human rights defenders—epitomize the reality of harmful corporate tactics in the energy and extractive industries. Whereas the LdV enshrines a process through which communities affected by harmful corporate practices can access transnational legal avenues for redress, inconsistencies and ambiguities within the law call into question its ability to effectively regulate the human rights activities of French corporations involved in renewable energy projects.

How do mining companies induce community participation? Processes, rationales and contestation in South Africa’s platinum-rich Limpopo Province

Resource Key: MF6MNDN3

Document Type: Journal Article

Creator:

Date: September 2025

Language: en

The expansion of mining for critical minerals has intensified debates over community participation in extractive governance, particularly in resource-rich but historically marginalised regions. While participatory mechanisms are widely promoted within corporate social responsibility (CSR) and business and human rights (BHR) frameworks, their implementation often produces unintended consequences, including grievances over legitimate representation, transparency, and power distribution. Despite this, little is known about how corporate actors make decisions about participation and how their rationales shape outcomes. Drawing on five months of fieldwork in platinum-producing territories in South Africa’s Limpopo Province, this paper investigates how mining companies operationalise participation in practice, and how these processes are experienced by those who are intended to benefit. In this way, it provides an ‘inside-out / outside-in’ view of the issue, combining perspectives from mine employees as implementers, and community members as beneficiaries of participatory initiatives. It shows that corporate rationales of efficiency and legitimacy creates participatory spaces that are hard to access yet emboldened with considerable decision-making power. These forums create information asymmetries and transfers the burden of engagement onto community representatives. Where representatives fail to disseminate information, mistrust deepens, reinforcing the perception that participation not only empowers elites but actively produces them. The study highlights the need for clearer institutional guidance on participation, to ensure that participatory mechanisms are transparent, accountable, and responsive to conflict. As South Africa pursues a ‘just’ energy transition, these insights are crucial for refining policy and corporate practices that govern critical mineral extraction.

Application Options of the Sustainable Child Development Index (SCDI)—Assessing the Status of Sustainable Development and Establishing Social Impact Pathways

Resource Key: L2M2NPSW

Document Type: Journal Article

Creator:

Date: 2018

Language: en

The needs of children and their vulnerability to diseases, violence and poverty are different from those of adults. The Sustainable Child Development Index (SCDI) was thus developed in previous work to evaluate the status of sustainable development for countries with a focus on children and triple-bottom-line thinking. This study proposes application options to put the SCDI into practice. The SCDI can be performed similarly to existing development indices, for comparing and tracing the performance of sustainable development on different geographic levels and between population groups. In addition, the SCDI can be integrated into existing social sustainability assessment approaches (e.g., Social Life Cycle Assessment and Social Organizational Life Cycle Assessment) and databases (e.g., The Social Hotspots Database) to take children into account and enhance impact assessment of social sustainability assessment approaches. As an exemplification, this study demonstrates the application of the SCDI framework to support the development of social impact pathways. Due to the importance of tertiary education in reducing poverty, a preliminary social impact pathway addressing completion of tertiary education was established. By putting the SCDI into practice, the SCDI can support decision making in child as well as sustainable development policies.

Social risks assessment of the supply chain of an aluminium semi finished profile for window

Resource Key: GBISDMNL

Document Type: Journal Article

Creator:

Date: July 2024

Language: en

Aluminium is among the most energy-intensive industries in the world and is produced from mining operations in bauxite mines. The effects on the environment of the entire aluminium supply chain, especially mining, also entail social risks. This article aims to understand the potential social risks along the supply chain of aluminium by focusing on a semi-finished frame for windows through the use of the Product Social Impact Life Cycle Assessment (PSILCA) database.

A socio‑economic assessment of an emerging technology in the mining industry

Resource Key: Z8Q8C8XM

Document Type: Journal Article

Creator:

Date: October 2024

Language: en

Purpose This article provides methodological insights to evaluate the socio-economic risk of an emerging froth flotation technology for the mining sector with the goal of guiding the design and development process. This technology is used to separate valuable particles based on surface properties among minerals and, if properly developed, could be used to valorize f ine particles that currently existing technology cannot separate and thus become waste material. Methods The Social Hotspot assessment utilized the Product Social Impact Life Cycle Assessment (PSILCA) database to analyze social hotspots in the relevant industrial sector. In addition, a survey captured the viewpoints of technology devel opers regarding additional potential social risk and opportunities. The final results were defined by combining these two analyses, conducted according to the 2020 UNEP guidelines for Social Life Cycle Assessment of Products and Organiza tions. For the economic assessment, the Material Flow Cost Accounting (MFCA) methodology (ISO14051) was applied, considering material costs, system costs, energy costs, and waste management costs for both the current situation and a future industrial-scale scenario. Results and discussion The study emphasizes the importance of tailoring methodological approaches for case studies involv ing low Technology Readiness Level (TRL) technologies based on available data. The state of technology development has led to different results for the economic and social analyses, primarily due to the difficulty in accurately predicting potential social impacts at this stage. The social analysis identified potential risks and 28 subcategories of impacts across different stakeholder categories. The economic assessment found that energy costs (49%) were the highest contributor to the MFCA cost of the future scenario, followed by system costs (29%). Conclusions and recommendations The study concludes that conducting a socio-economic analysis during the developmental stage of a technology is valuable for identifying critical hotspots that require monitoring, effectively guiding the research and development phase. This application represents a unique case in the mining sector and could be a first step in defining a methodological approach suitable for low TRL technologies. Analyzing both social and economic risks provides a more comprehensive perspective on sustainability, complementing environmental risk assessments.

Comprehensive analysis of social subcategories throughout life cycle assessment approach for the textile industry

Resource Key: G3PDTW4K

Document Type: Journal Article

Creator:

Date: 2024

Language: en

While the environmental and economic aspects of sustainability have been extensively studied, social sustainability has been largely neglected and necessitates a thorough investigation. The study examines the intricate nature of social impact assessments, considering the substantial significance of the textile industry in the global economy and its wide-ranging social implications. This study comprehensively examines critical social subcategories used in the life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology to highlight the social sustainability of the textile sector. The objective of the study is to enhance and optimize the subcategories proposed by UNEP/SETAC for social LCA by examining, expanding, and adapting them specifically to the textile industry, offering a more focused and sector-specific viewpoint on key metrics.

Guidelines on the selection and inventory of social life cycle assessment indicators: a case study on flexible plastic packaging in the European circular economy

Resource Key: DCSNIFAI

Document Type: Journal Article

Creator:

Date: 2024

Language: en

Purpose Emerging technologies are addressing current challenges to shift from a linear to a circular economy. However, the consideration of social aspects in this context is limited, and the prioritization of indicators appears arbitrary in the absence of clear and robust selection criteria. Following social life cycle assessment (S-LCA) principles, the aim of this paper is to guide the selection and inventory of social indicators based on a case study on evolving flexible packaging within the European circular economy.

Methods To achieve the objective, the study involves several steps, including conducting a systematic literature review to identify key stakeholders, impact subcategories, indicators, and inventories for circular flexible plastic packaging. Multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) is applied to preselect a set of indicators, followed by stakeholder engagement in prioritizing impact indicators through participatory methods. Subsequently, a data collection procedure was established.

Results and discussion This paper presents a materiality ranking for 19 social indicators tailored to the emerging circular flexible packaging. The result is a prioritization of nine of these indicators, including Existence of record of proof of age, Percentage of workers who are paid a living wage or above, and Existence of certified environmental management system. These nine indicators form the basis for the collection of respective inventory data for an entry-level assessment. Furthermore, guidelines on 11 procedural steps were formulated based on these findings. Moreover, challenges of synonymity and inconsistency in S-LCA terminology, besides inaccessible inventory data especially in the context of evolving recycling technologies, are identified as substantial barriers in the effort to streamline and perform S-LCA.

Conclusions The paper concludes that prioritizing indicators is essential for entry-level and prospective assessments, especially when time and data are limited. Additionally, using primary inventory data to evaluate the foreground system and its direct impacts on stakeholders promotes accountability and corporate social responsibility. Furthermore, a set of procedural steps, from defining the system boundary to preparing the data questionnaire, serves as a valuable resource for practitioners across diverse industries.

Recommendations In future research, these nine prioritized indicators can be applied to assess the social performance of various case studies along the value chain of circular flexible plastic packaging, covering food and non-food applications. In addition, the methodological guidelines for selecting and prioritizing indicators can be replicated across multiple industry sectors. Moreover, research effort should be directed towards establishing a methodological framework for prospective S-LCA in the context of emerging technologies.

Generic and site-specific social life cycle assessment of municipal wastewater treatment systems in Spain: challenges and limitations of the method when applied to resource recovery systems

Resource Key: FJA3SGHK

Document Type: Journal Article

Creator:

Date: 2024

Language: en

Purpose This work aims to provide insights on the application of social life cycle assessment (S-LCA) in evaluating the social impacts associated with municipal wastewater treatment (WWT). The study assesses the social risks and social performance of two municipal WWT systems in Catalonia, Spain: a conventional wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) (Reference System) and a novel system that recovers water and other valuable resources (Novel System).

Methods S-LCA was conducted at Generic and Site-Specific levels using 1 m3 of wastewater treatment as the functional unit (FU). The Generic assessment was conducted via the Product Social Impact Life Cycle Assessment (PSILCA) database, while the Site-Specific assessment employed the Subcategory Assessment Method (SAM) with four-level reference scales to assess the social performance of the WWTP operator and its first-tier suppliers. Furthermore, activity variables were calculated based on organizations’ shares in the total costs per FU, and the Novel System’s multifunctionality was solved through economic allocation. Results were aggregated by (i) assigning equal weights to organizations and (ii) factoring in organizations’ weights and the allocation factor, leading to results per FU.

Results and discussion The Generic analysis results indicated that the Novel System entailed fewer social risks than the Reference System. Most social risks in both systems occurred in the subcategories “Access to material resources,” “Fair salary,” “Freedom of association and collective bargaining,” “Contribution to economic development,” and “Corruption.” In the Site-Specific assessment, the Novel System presented better social performance than the Reference System per 1 m3 of wastewater treatment. The latter’s performance per FU did not meet the basic requirement in four out of eleven subcategories, mainly due to the performance and weight of a chemical supplier. Allocation greatly benefitted the Novel System’s results per FU compared to the results obtained when equal weights were applied.

Conclusions Activity variables were used to connect organizations’ conduct with particular WWT systems, and multifunctionality was solved. This approach allowed for obtaining results per FU at both assessment levels. However, social performance was also evaluated by calculating the average social performance of each system without considering activity variables and the FU, leading to different results. The social performance of the Novel System per FU was satisfactory across all subcategories but required improvement in four subcategories based on the average results. Given the limitations of using activity variables and allocation in S-LCA, further research is necessary to appropriately evaluate and compare the social effects of novel resource recovery systems.

Social impact assessment in the mining sector: Review and comparison of indicators frameworks

Resource Key: 6E5KT6UZ

Document Type: Journal Article

Creator:

Date: August 2018

Language: en

Mining provides inputs for other industrial sectors that are vital for sustaining population wellbeing and the functioning of global economies. At the same time, it can generate social and environmental impacts, which could compromise public acceptance of the sector. Given this twofold role in human society, the improvement of the sustainability performance is a very important objective both for industry and for the European policy, willing to boost a sustainable supply of raw materials.
In various contexts, social impacts of mining are assessed with different sets of indicators and targets. In this study we perform a review of the associated literature, identify a list of typical social impacts occurring in the sector, and explore their geographical distribution. The list of identified impacts is compared against the indicators used for assessing and promoting sustainability in different contexts and at different scales: (i) the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), (ii) the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), (iii) the EU policy making through the analysis of the Better Regulation policy and three impact assessment reports, and (iv) the databases used in Social Life Cycle Assessment (SLCA).
Land use-related impacts and environmental impacts affecting human health and human rights appear to be the most concerning social aspects in the mining sector. Benefits from income and employment are, instead, the main positive impacts identified in the screened literature.
The paper compares the different indicator sets used in the above-mentioned frameworks with the list of impacts emerged from the literature review. Working conditions and human rights are well-covered aspects in the indicator lists. Main differences concern demographic changes and migration due to the presence of a mine and land use-related impacts, which are described in literature and partially covered in other schemes. A challenge for sustainability assessment is the evaluation of the mining sector’s contribution to society, beyond the mere economic value added, and in general the assessment of positive impacts.

The Rights of Indigenous Peoples Towards a Just Energy Transition: The Dutch Approach to Mandatory Corporate Due Diligence

Resource Key: K5CI736D

Document Type: Journal Article

Creator:

Date: May 2025

Language: en

The need to urgently shift away from fossil-based systems of energy for the sake of the planet and its people is clear. The green transition comes, however, with negative impacts on human rights and the environment, notably on the rights of Indigenous Peoples in the Global South, where most of the essential minerals and metals needed for the transition are found. In this piece, we discuss recent legal developments in the Netherlands from the perspective of the need for a just energy transition. Against the background of the recently adopted European Union (EU) Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD), we analyze two draft Dutch due diligence laws and their potential in the context of a just energy transition. The focus is on the rights of Indigenous Peoples who are in an extremely vulnerable position in the transition process.

Human Rights, Social Resistance and Mining Firm Behaviour in Latin America

Resource Key: ACD3FTDC

Document Type: Journal Article

Creator:

Date: May 2025

Language: en

Mining companies are rhetorically committed to corporate social responsibility standards such as human rights, but what really affects their behaviour in the developing world? Communities impacted by mines have become increasingly resistant to them, bolstered and supported by international actors and norms as well as stronger domestic environmental and justice institutions. In this paper, I examine the behaviour of multinational mining companies (primarily Canadian) in two Latin American countries in the face of social resistance, finding that domestic institutional capacity and legal mobilization have an important effect on company decisions and actions. Both are necessary—the legal opportunity structure creates an institutional context in which legal mobilization is encouraged or discouraged. Litigators interacting with competent institutions have a far greater ability to hold firms to account. Thus, company practices adjust to the country’s institutional and legal context, and behaviour varies according to host country conditions.

Towards a Feminist Energy Justice Framework

Resource Key: PIV2QUII

Document Type: Journal Article

Creator:

Date: May 2025

Language: en

This article explores a feminist approach to energy justice. In business and human rights to date, there has been little attention to the gendered dynamics in energy transition, mirroring the lack of attention to the rights of women and girls within broader energy and energy transition discourses. Without this attention, there is a risk that energy transition efforts maintain, increase, or create new gendered inequalities, rather than diminish them. With a focus on the distributional, recognitional and procedural dimensions of energy systems, the concept of energy justice holds much potential for the field of business and human rights. Taking women’s participation in energy transition policy-making in Sub-Saharan Africa as a concrete example, we argue that a feminist approach to energy justice could be one way of operationalizing a more gender-transformative energy transition.

Procedural Justice and Due Process Principle in the Context of Just Energy Transition: Learning From South Africa

Resource Key: Z5KELKBP

Document Type: Journal Article

Creator:

Date: May 2025

Language: en

The transition to renewable energy models to tackle environmental degradation and climate change is one of the most important topics on the international agenda. The energy transition requires a system that is decentralised and democratic, depending more on local energy ownership and the genuine participation of the affected stakeholders. Although different states face various economic and cultural challenges, a common challenge is making the transition as inclusive and equitable as possible so that everyone can benefit equally. The article focuses on South Africa, acknowledging its special place among the Global South countries due to its history and the dependency of its economy on coal. Taking the South African experiences as an example, this article aims to show how the energy transition processes can be more inclusive and just, allowing the affected parties to participate at all levels of the just transition processes and making their voices heard.

Indigenous Peoples, Business, and the Struggles for Justice in the Green Transition: Towards a Rights-Based Approach to Just Transitions

Resource Key: BY738STG

Document Type: Journal Article

Creator:

Date: May 2025

Language: en

This article explores the responsibility of wind energy developers for the rights of Indigenous Peoples whose lands are affected by wind energy projects. Applying a rights-based approach and drawing on three landmark court rulings involving the struggle of Indigenous communities against the development of wind energy projects, the analysis explores the insights provided by the cases for clarifying the responsibility of business actors involved in developing such projects. It examines how Indigenous Peoples’ rights are frequently marginalized or overlooked in the planning and siting of wind energy projects and the need to respect the rights of Indigenous Peoples throughout a project in order to attain a transition that is just. Based on the analysis, we argue for a rights-based approach as the theoretical framework and analytical tool to advance justice in the green transition and a means to articulate the responsibilities of corporate actors within that context.

China’s Solar Dominance: Worker Rights in the Pursuit of a Just Transition

Resource Key: F2C99LKV

Document Type: Journal Article

Creator:

Date: May 2025

Language: en

This article examines the intersection between forced labour, supply chain risks and environmental, social and governance concerns that pose a threat to the ‘Just Transition’. It addresses how states, businesses and other stakeholders drive or fail Just Transitions and why. Through an application of a ‘policy currents framework’ to the case study of solar panel supply chains originating in China, we analyse states, international organisations and civil society organisations’ framing of modern slavery issues in the context of the ‘Just Transition’. We focus on the framing of challenges and solutions to the nexus of forced labour and climate change. We draw attention to the fact decarbonisation risks are being achieved at the cost of labour rights abuses within supply chains, question whether the concept of renewable sources is ‘Just’ and provide a series of recommendations for stakeholders.

Mapping Human Rights Violations Connected to Renewable Energy Development in India: A Case Study of the ‘Oran Land’ at Thar Desert and Energy Transition

Resource Key: RXRZ5CAI

Document Type: Journal Article

Creator:

Date: May 2025

Language: en

This article examines India’s energy transition agenda, which the central government drives to reduce the impact of climate change through the development of renewable energy. It presents a case study of the ‘Oran Land’ in the Thar desert in India, which is affected by the country’s energy transition agenda. It further highlights issues relating to human rights infringement linked to corporations undertaking the transition and operating in the ‘Orans’—a community-protected land. The article concludes with discussions on legislative developments in India and global best practices that seek to mainstream human rights into business practice and further strengthen compliance with the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.

IRMA Standard for Responsible Mining 1.0 – Supplementary Guidance on Indigenous Peoples and Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC) Version 1.0

Resource Key: RVG8ATBL

Document Type: Report

Creator:

Institution: Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance

Date: March 2025

Language: en

The IRMA Standard relies on, and acknowledges, the importance of certain globally recognized laws, standards and norms including the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People and International Labor Organization (ILO) Convention 169 for a common definition of Indigenous Peoples, Indigenous rights, and Indigenous rightsholders. Even within these global guiding references, we recognize that navigating the complex nuances and specific rights and aspirations of Indigenous Peoples is not a simple exercise. The purpose of this guidance is to complement the existing Guidance Document for the Standard for Responsible Mining and provide more specific details on how the IRMA Standard is intended to be applied within this global context. This guidance does not change the content of the IRMA Standard for Responsible Mining; it has been prepared to address a need for further guidance that has become clear from the application of the IRMA Standard at mines in various regions of the world. IRMA acknowledges that even with this additional guidance, there might be circumstances where determining relevancy of the chapter is not clear, or where mines and auditors interpret requirements or determinations of relevancy differently. In these cases, where parties cannot reach an agreement that is consistent with IRMA, IRMA can provide supporting dialogue and/or connect parties with external global resources for further support.

General Recommendation No. 39 (GR 39) on the Rights of Indigenous Women and Girls: Practical guide for advocacy by indigenous women

Resource Key: 59D3ZDKP

Document Type: Report

Creator:

Place: Baguio, Philippines

Institution: Indigenous Peoples Rights International

Date: September 2023

Language: en

The General Recommendation No. 39 (GR 39) on the Rights of Indigenous Women and Girls issued by the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) in October 2022, provides important guidance and recommendations for the rights and well-being of indigenous women and girls (IW). This document was developed with the active participation and engagement of indigenous peoples’ organizations including the Indigenous Peoples Rights International-IPRI, the International Network of Indigenous Women-FIMI and other indigenous women’s organizations. It reflects many of their views and recommendations. Below are some salient points and key recommendations from GR 39 that indigenous peoples and IW should keep in mind.

Sector-wide social impact scoping of agrivoltaic systems: A case study in Japan

Resource Key: SHLKHG8Y

Document Type: Journal Article

Creator:

Date: August 2019

Language: en

The recent rapid promotion of renewable energy technology (RET) worldwide may have led to a greater social impact on local communities, where multiple otherwise-small individual units of RET are concentrated in one place, as may occur in the case of small photovoltaic power generating units, for example. This study examines such a case of the dissemination of innovative agrivoltaic systems (AVSs), a system in which photovoltaic power facilities are installed above cultivated farmland, across Japanese rural areas.
The paper offers a preliminary sector-wide social impact scoping (SSIS) for potential cumulative social impact of a dissemination policy of AVSs. AVSs were predicted to positively impact many local stakeholders. It was found that AVSs themselves improve energy security as they are, but if particular devices are accommodated, energy security is further improved. Several measures, including providing information to farm operators regarding specific examples of favourable economic outcomes and good agricultural practices, are recommended to mitigate any negative impact of AVS installation.
Policymakers should undertake SSIS for RET to reveal the variety of views among otherwise reticent stakeholders so that they can eventually increase the positive impact and mitigate the negative impact of RET.

CEDAW: Jurisprudence on Indigenous Women and Girls 2017-2024

Resource Key: 9BMRERES

Document Type: Report

Creator:

Place: Baguio, Philippines

Institution: Indigenous Peoples Rights International

Date: March 2025

Language: en

Exploring the Conflict Blind Spots in Climate Adaptation Finance

Resource Key: VW3NXIYU

Document Type: Report

Creator:

Institution: Supporting Pastoralism and Agriculture in Recurrent and Protracted Crises (SPARC)

Date: September 2021

This synthesis report explores whether and how climate adaptation programmes have been conflict-sensitive in fragile and conflict-affected situations (FCSs). It looks also at the barriers and enablers to increasing adaptation finance to these contexts. The report refers to these two issues as the ‘conflict blind spots’ in climate adaptation finance. In this study, climate adaptation programmes are defined broadly to include: (1) projects whose principal objective is to reduce vulnerability of human and natural systems to current and expected climate impacts by increasing resilience, and/or reducing exposure to them; and (2) development projects with other principal objectives, such as poverty reduction, where climate change concerns are mainstreamed into activities (these programmes are often also called climate-relevant development programmes).1 Therefore, many of the issues identified throughout the report do not apply solely to adaptation finance but to official development assistance (ODA) more generally. The report is based on an analysis of approaches to conflict sensitivity of donors operating in the Sahel and Horn of Africa – a region with a large concentration of highly climate-vulnerable and conflict-affected countries (Moran et al., 2018) – and synthesis of findings from the application of such approaches to climate adaptation investments in Mali, Somalia and Sudan. It is informed by, and should be read in conjunction with its sister report ‘Exploring the conflict blind spots in climate adaptation finance in the Sahel and Horn of Africa’, which documents in full the donor analysis and the three country case studies.

Environmental and Social Framework

Resource Key: TAGZYB4M

Document Type: Report

Creator:

Place: Mandaluyong City, Philippines

Institution: Asian Development Bank

Date: 2024

Language: en

“The Environmental and Social Framework (ESF) comprises: Vision, which sets out the aspirations of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) regarding environmental and social (E&S) sustainability; Environmental and Social Policy (E&S Policy), which sets out the mandatory responsibilities that apply to ADB; Environmental and Social Standards (ESSs), which set out the mandatory requirements that apply to borrowers/ clients; Requirements for Financing Modalities and Products, which set out the mandatory responsibilities that apply to ADB and mandatory requirements that apply to borrowers/clients for different financing modalities and products; and Prohibited Investment Activities List.

The 10 Environmental and Social Standards, which establish the performance standards that borrowers/clients and projects will meet throughout a project cycle, are as follows: Environmental and Social Standard 1 (ESS1): Assessment and Management of Environmental and Social Risks and Impacts; Environmental and Social Standard 2 (ESS2): Labor and Working Conditions; Environmental and Social Standard 3 (ESS3): Resource Conservation and Pollution Prevention; Environmental and Social Standard 4 (ESS4): Health, Safety, and Security; Environmental and Social Standard 5 (ESS5): Land Acquisition and Land Use Restriction; Environmental and Social Standard 6 (ESS6): Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Natural Resources Management; Environmental and Social Standard 7 (ESS7): Indigenous Peoples; (viii) Environmental and Social Standard 8 (ESS8): Cultural Heritage; Environmental and Social Standard 9 (ESS9): Climate Change; and (x) Environmental and Social Standard 10 (ESS10): Stakeholder Engagement and Information Disclosure.”

Māori – infrastructure provider engagement

Resource Key: TK4VAT7H

Document Type: Report

Creator:

Place: Wellington, New Zealand

Institution: New Zealand Infrastructure Commission - Te Waihanga

Date: 2024

Language: en

Engagement is happening in an inherently diverse, fluid and complex environment The environment within which Māori and infrastructure providers engage on infrastructure initiatives is inherently diverse, fluid and complex. • Māori are diverse and the differences between, and evolving nature of, Māori groups mean that it is unhelpful for infrastructure providers to make assumptions about what the priorities and aspirations of members of a particular group of Māori will be (even if the infrastructure provider has engaged with members of that group before). • The government infrastructure sector is also complex. Different government infrastructure providers have different levels of autonomy and different accountabilities, are subject to different funding controls, and take different approaches to how they undertake infrastructure initiatives. Relevant legislation changes regularly. These factors make it challenging for Māori groups who engage on a range of government infrastructure initiatives. The environment will continue to be complex and evolving. It would help both Māori groups and infrastructure providers to engage effectively in this environment if infrastructure providers improved the extent to which their personnel had visibility of: • what other parts of their organisation are engaging with different Māori groups on • what other infrastructure providers (and other government organisations) are talking to particular Māori groups about. Approaches to increasing the visibility of the engagement that is occurring with different Māori groups across the infrastructure sector need to: – be practicable to maintain over time – not place an unreasonable time or cost burden on Māori groups or infrastructure providers – enable mātauranga Māori (Māori knowledge) (including information about culturally sensitive sites and landscapes) and commercially sensitive information to be treated appropriately. Why Māori groups and infrastructure providers engage with each other New Zealand legislation, local authorities, mana whenua groups, and infrastructure sector participants give a very wide range of reasons why Māori groups and infrastructure providers should be, or are, engaging with each other in relation to infrastructure initiatives. Mana whenua groups’ reasons for engaging tend to include: • to fulfil inherited responsibilities and uphold their status (including as kaitiaki (guardians)) • to enable te ao Māori values to be integrated into infrastructure initiatives • to achieve broader outcomes for the group (including to ensure that the group’s social, and economic interests are taken into account). Infrastructure Staff’s reasons for engaging include some factors focused on achieving particular infrastructure initiatives. However, their reasons are not limited to that, and many of the reasons they give for engaging take a longer term view. Mana whenua groups, infrastructure sector participants and local authority websites all see engagement as part of the participants fulfilling their roles under the Treaty of Waitangi | Te Tiriti o Waitangi (Treaty | Te Tiriti). Trust-based ongoing relationships There is a lot of debate regarding what the Treaty | Te Tiriti requires. However, there appears to be consensus between mana whenua groups, the New Zealand Courts and infrastructure providers that (whatever else it does or does not require) the Treaty | Te Tiriti obliges both Māori groups and government infrastructure providers to: • There is a reasonable degree of consensus between mana whenua groups and infrastructure providers that infrastructure providers should use publicly available sources to seek to understand a mana whenua group’s history, priorities, kawa and tikanga before substantive engagement occurs. • Generally, infrastructure providers do not develop written engagement strategies or plans for engaging with Māori groups (and instead are guided by a Māori group on how and the extent to which that group wants to engage on a particular initiative). • Infrastructure providers pay for Māori groups’ time, and meet expenses Māori groups incur, in engaging on projects initiated by those infrastructure providers (in the same way as infrastructure providers would pay for other specialist input). • Where possible, engagement includes multiple kanohi ki te kanohi (face-to-face) meetings (unless a Māori group indicates that that is not required). • If differences arise between Māori groups during engagement infrastructure providers do not get involved in trying to broker agreement between those groups, but in some situations the parties will use mechanisms that allow those differences to be resolved between the Māori groups separately while other aspects of the infrastructure initiative continue to progress. • Infrastructure providers generally do not undertake formal reviews of how engagement with a Māori group went on a particular initiative or have a formal process for discussing with Māori groups how their feedback shaped an initiative (with several infrastructure providers commenting that those matters are addressed more informally as part of regular ongoing meetings with a Māori group). Three areas where there is notable divergence in views or practice are: • mana whenua groups appear to have a greater level of preference for entering into written relationship Memoranda of Understanding than infrastructure providers • differences in when and how any specialist Māori engagement staff employed by an infrastructure provider are involved in engagement with Māori groups • a lack of consensus as to whether which contracting and procurement model an infrastructure provider uses for a project has a substantive impact on Māori engagement. There are some issues that appear to arise in relation to many infrastructure initiatives. • Infrastructure providers often find it difficult to identify which specific Māori groups to engage with or who within a Māori group to engage with. • It is quite common for infrastructure providers not to identify that some areas of land affected by an infrastructure initiative are multiple-owned Māori land, resulting in the beneficial owners of that land not being engaged with. • Māori staff within infrastructure providers have multiple accountabilities – their accountabilities as employees/public officials and accountabilities to their iwi, hapū or Māori generally – which may lead to burn-out or other issues. • There are issues regarding the extent to which Māori groups and infrastructure providers can be open with each other when information relevant to an infrastructure initiative is mātauranga Māori (particularly information about culturally sensitive sites or landscapes), or commercially sensitive. • Infrastructure providers generally do not specifically budget or account for the costs of engaging with Māori groups. • The acquisition of land owned by Māori groups for infrastructure initiatives is a matter of particular concern to Māori groups and creates complex future obligations for infrastructure providers/the Crown when land acquired for a project is no longer needed.

Environmental and Social Performance Tool

Resource Key: QR5TS95P

Document Type: Report

Creator:

Place: Victoria, Australia

Institution: AusIMM

Date: 2025

Social Performance and Environment practitioners advise on, guide and undertake work activities that seek to minimise harm and maximise benefits from minerals development on social and biophysical landscapes to constructively and sustainably position the minerals industry in society. AusIMM’s Social and Environment Committee has developed materials to support the professional development and assessment of AusIMM members in the disciplines of Social Performance and the Environment. The Area of Practice descriptors, competency assessment tools, courses and guidelines linked here are designed to support self-directed professional development by Social Performance and Environment practitioners. The materials identified are assessed by AusIMM’s Social and Environment Committee to be useful and current in 2023, with no opinion provided nor implied on relative merit or likelihood of future availability.

What Are the Success Factors for a Just Transition in Critical Mineral Extraction? Analysis From the Lithium Triangle

Resource Key: TPZZYPVP

Document Type: Journal Article

Creator:

Date: May 2025

Language: en

The scramble to extract critical energy transition minerals creates risk of widespread negative human rights impacts. A just transition in the extraction of critical minerals must involve deep examination of the mine-community interface to gain a better understanding of the drivers of successful engagement between mining companies and communities. Drawing on fieldwork in South America’s lithium triangle, this paper finds that the nature of the corporate-community relationship is increasingly key to enabling a just transition whereby communities participate in the benefits of extraction with negative impacts mitigated. It establishes that key success factors are related to empowerment of Indigenous communities and have the potential to maximise positive outcomes for communities in the context of lithium extraction. Governments and companies must embed a more bottom-up process with an end goal of communities themselves defining the parameters of what a just transition means in the critical minerals context.

Towards a Human Rights-based Approach to Energy Transition in Africa

Resource Key: EMKJKET3

Document Type: Journal Article

Creator:

Date: May 2025

Language: en

African countries have increasingly emphasized adopting lower carbon, more efficient and environmentally responsible energy systems. Despite these efforts, little progress has been made in addressing the adverse human rights impacts of energy transition programs and projects, and the responsibilities of extractive sector corporations and operators. Existing legal and institutional frameworks supporting human rights face hindrances in adapting to local contexts to pursue clean energy transition and energy justice. Through the lens of community engagement, gender equality and other rights-based approaches, this article argues that socially excluding vulnerable groups in accessing energy markets is primarily a function of consolidating energy delivery in a way that navigates current discrimination and responds to the central roles played by different actors. The article explores how energy is produced, extracted, distributed and shared to help outline a future agenda for shaping discussions on just transitions in Africa, emphasizing the prioritization of fairness in these efforts.

The Norwegian Transparency Act, Renewable Energy and Extractive Industries: Towards a Just Transition for the Indigenous Sámi People

Resource Key: 6BR43CV4

Document Type: Journal Article

Creator:

Date: May 2025

Language: en

Norway is, in many aspects, at the forefront of the global energy transition. Nevertheless, a human rights paradox in Norway’s energy transition plan is that while addressing climate-related human rights impacts, it might come at a high cost to the rights of the Indigenous Sámi People. Mining operations and renewable energy developments in the Sámi ancestral lands have already threatened reindeer husbandry, on which certain Sámi communities rely for a living, and which represents an integral component of their cultural identity. Resolving this paradox is crucial to achieving a just transition that leaves no one behind. Against this backdrop, the piece examines how the Norwegian Transparency Act—a mandatory human rights due diligence initiative—can address the impacts on Sámi rights caused by companies involved in renewable energy and extractive developments on Sámi lands.

Guía sobre la evaluación del impacto en la salud: Unidad de Soluciones Ambientales y Sociales – Evaluación del impacto en la salud

Resource Key: DQ5INIWQ

Document Type: Report

Creator:

Place: Washington D.C.

Institution: Inter-American Development Bank

Date: 2025

Language: es

El Marco de Política Ambiental y Social (MPAS) del Banco Interamericano de Desarrollo (BID) requiere que los prestatarios establezcan y mantengan un proceso para identificar, evaluar y gestionar los impactos ambientales y sociales de un proyecto. Esto incluye los impactos relacionados con el proyecto en la salud, la seguridad y el bienestar de las comunidades. El MPAS tiene 10 Normas de Desempeño Ambiental y Social (NDAS) que tratan cómo se deben identificar, evaluar y gestionar los impactos. La NDAS 4 sobre Salud y Seguridad de la Comunidad establece las responsabilidades de los prestatarios para minimizar los impactos de un proyecto en la salud, la seguridad y el bienestar de la comunidad. Otras NDAS que también se relacionan con la NDAS 4 sobre Salud y Seguridad de la Comunidad son: NDAS 2 sobre Trabajo y condiciones laborales, NDAS 3 sobre Eficiencia en el uso de los recursos y prevención de la contaminación, NDAS 5 sobre Adquisición de tierras y reasentamiento involuntario, NDAS 6 sobre Conservación de la biodiversidad y gestión sostenible de los recursos naturales vivos, y NDAS 9 sobre Igualdad de género. El MPAS recomienda que los prestatarios realicen una Evaluación del Impacto en la Salud (EIS), en su proceso de identificación de riesgos e impactos ambientales y sociales, como la forma óptima de identificar, evaluar y gestionar sistemáticamente los impactos en la salud de la comunidad relacionados con el proyecto. Este documento proporciona orientación sobre la realización de evaluaciones de impacto en la salud que estén en línea con las mejores prácticas internacionales y los requisitos del MPAS y las NDAS del BID.

Health impact assessment guide: Environmental and Social Solutions Unit – Health impact assessment

Resource Key: 9QTEANFV

Document Type: Report

Creator:

Place: Washington D.C.

Institution: Inter-American Development Bank

Date: 2025

Language: en

The Inter-American Development Bank’s (IDB) Environmental and Social Policy Framework (ESPF) requires Borrowers to establish and maintain a process for identifying, assessing, and managing, the environmental and social impacts of a project. This includes project-related impacts on the health, safety, and well-being of communities. The ESPF has 10 Environmental and Social Performance Standards (ESPS) for how impacts should be identified, assessed, and managed. ESPF 4 on Community Health, Safety and Security sets out the responsibilities of Borrowers to minimize the impacts of a project on community health, safety, and wellbeing. Other ESPSs that also relate to ESPS 4 on Community Health, Safety, and Security include: ESPS 2 on Labor and Working Conditions, ESPS 3 on Resource Efficiency and Pollution Prevention, ESPS 5 on Land Acquisition and Involuntary Resettlement, ESPS 6 on Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Management of Living Natural Resources, and ESPS 9 on Gender Equality. The ESPF recommends that Borrowers carry out a Health Impact Assessment (HIA), in its environmental and social risks and impacts identification process, as the optimal way to systematically identify, assess, and manage project-related community health impacts. This document provides guidance on conducting Health Impact Assessments in accordance with international good practice and the requirements of the IDB’s ESPF and ESPSs.

Guia sobre avaliação de impacto na saúde: Divisão de Soluções Ambientais e Sociais – Avaliação de impacto na saúde

Resource Key: RTUQ9D55

Document Type: Report

Creator:

Place: Washington D.C.

Institution: Inter-American Development Bank

Date: 2025

Language: pt

O Marco de Política Ambiental e Social (MPAS) do Banco Interamericano de Desenvolvimento (BID) exige que os Mutuários estabeleçam e mantenham um processo para identificar, avaliar e gerenciar os impactos ambientais e sociais de um projeto. Isto inclui impactos relacionados ao projeto na saúde, segurança e bem-estar das comunidades. O MPAS tem 10 Padrões de Desempenho Ambiental e Social (PDAS) sobre como os impactos devem ser identificados, avaliados e gerenciados. O PDAS 4 sobre Saúde e Segurança da Comunidade estabelece as responsabilidades dos Mutuários para minimizar os impactos de um projeto na saúde, segurança e bem-estar da comunidade. Outros PDAS que também se relacionam com o PDAS 4 sobre Saúde e Segurança da Comunidade incluem: o PDAS 2 sobre Mão de Obra e Condições de Trabalho, PDAS 3 sobre Eficiência de Recursos e Prevenção da Poluição, PDAS 5 sobre Aquisição de Terra e Reassentamento Involuntário, PDAS 6 sobre Conservação da Biodiversidade e Gestão Sustentável dos Recursos Naturais Vivos e PDAS 9 sobre Igualdade de Gêneros. O MPAS recomenda que os Mutuários realizem uma Avaliação de Impacto na Saúde (AIS), no seu processo de identificação de riscos e impactos ambientais e sociais, como a forma ideal de identificar, avaliar e gerir sistematicamente os impactos na saúde da comunidade relacionados com o projeto. Este documento fornece orientação sobre a realização de Avaliações de Impacto na Saúde que estejam em conformidade com as boas práticas internacionais e os requisitos do MPAS e dos PDAS do BID.

Addressing the legacy of past mining in the Garden River First Nation Community: Perspectives and pathways to improve community engagement

Resource Key: ZSLGL35D

Document Type: Journal Article

Creator:

Date: June 2025

Language: en

The negative effects of resource extraction have disproportionately affected Indigenous people in Canada. There is an ongoing legacy of environmental damage and infringements of treaty and title rights among Indigenous Nations such as the Garden River Nation, that the government must address. A community engagement project between Natural Resources Canada and the Garden River First Nation community was carried out to gather information about the legacy of past mining activities in this Nation. Thematic categories were collaboratively and manually pulled from the community engagement transcripts to explore the effects of mining on the live lihoods of the people of the Garden River First Nation. The discussion results showed social and environmental concerns about resource extraction, and the community calls for action to be taken to restore abandoned mines that continue to leave a negative legacy for the People, land, and other inhabitants of Garden River. The com munity also urge the government and industry to make a concentrated effort to understand Indigenous world views, perspectives, and philosophies when conducting work that could have adverse impacts on the Indigenous Nations who call the territory home. Recommendations were made for capacity building for Indigenous people to adequately participate in project negotiations.

Local perspectives, regional consequences: The socio-environmental impacts of sand harvesting in southern Africa

Resource Key: BDWNW5JB

Document Type: Journal Article

Creator:

Date: September 2025

Language: en

After water, sand is the most exploited resource on Earth, with extraction rates often exceeding the sustainable supply, impacting ecosystems and local communities. Still, there is very little information on the situation in southern Africa, despite the rapid economic growth in the region and associated increase in sand demand. This study aimed to address this gap by identifying the implications of sand extraction on local communities and the ecosystem, drawing upon the perspectives of local stakeholders. Qualitative data collected in Botswana, South Africa and Mozambique through stakeholder interviews, revealed a suite of environmental and social issues surrounding both licensed and unlicensed operations. The experienced negative impacts and benefits were occasionally contradictory in nature, strongly depending on characteristics relating to geography, and the type of sand harvesting activity. We subsequently explored links between experienced benefits, impacts and current regulatory frameworks through development of a Driver-Pressure-State-Impact-Response (DPSIR) framework, which highlighted that careful mining site selection and adherence to regulations could minimise socio-environmental impacts whilst achieving benefits. The findings of the study provided insights on the main obstacles for alleviating sand harvesting-related impacts and existing knowledge gaps that need to be first addressed to inform the development of more sustainable sand harvesting practices.

Mining contestation as an impetus for natural and cultural heritage protection

Resource Key: A88S2EYS

Document Type: Journal Article

Creator:

Date: September 2025

Language: en

This article provides evidence that contestation over mining helps bring attention and protective action for conservation hotspots. Drawing from the experience of several terrestrial and marine sites in Australia and globally, the case is made. Typically, formal protection comes after extractive use of wild areas, organised campaigns directed at companies and their allies, and law court actions. While contestation over mining directs attention to conservation hotspots, commercial and political decisions to allow mining may prevail with irreversible environmental damage. Globally, protected hot spots protect very little of the world’s wilderness areas. Reviewing these cases helps design future conservation efforts: There is an urgent need for (1) local to global strategic plans and assessments of wilderness and cultural heritage conservation and ‘coexisting’ mineral resource development; (2) an authoritative international agency to lead negotiations and planning over the inherent trade-offs involved and to document livelihood opportunities, if any, after mining; and (3) a neowilderness movement to balance negotiations given the power of global mining companies.

Human rights and solar energy: A primer for the Danish solar energy sector

Resource Key: FRWNE44B

Document Type: Report

Creator:

Place: Copenhagen, Denmark

Institution: Danish Institute for Human Rights

Date: 2025

Language: en

In January 2024, the Danish Institute for Human Rights partnered with Green Power Denmark to launch the Solar Energy and Human Rights Project. This initiative builds the capacity of Danish companies within the solar sector, human rights experts and rightsholders as well as peer learning via workshops co-facilitated with Ethical Trade Denmark. The project aims to facilitate the sharing of dilemmas, best practices, and experiences among stakeholders, thereby encouraging improvements at company level and collective action. During the early stages of the project, individual interviews were conducted with the participating Danish companies and sector stakeholders to understand current practice, challenges and capacity needs related to human rights across the solar value chain. Key issues of concern were similar across the 16 companies, as were requests for guidance on building company capacity, specifically embedding human rights due diligence in practice. The interviews revealed significant differences in maturity levels of human rights due diligence across the companies, but common situations of quick growth of business activities and steep learning curves on responsible business conduct issues. This guide, informed by desktop research, interviews and workshops, aims to both outline the current state of play and provide information and practical recommendations to support responsible business conduct efforts by companies and the solar sector more broadly. The report is structured into three chapters: 1. Overview of human rights issues in the solar energy sector: This section outlines salient sector-wide human rights issues at each step of the value chain. 2. Deep dive into critical human rights issues and action for the Danish solar energy sector: This section includes a deep dive into critical issues in the solar energy value chain and provides recommendations for mitigating these adverse impacts. It focuses on the types of impacts that companies in the sector are most likely to encounter in their activities in Denmark and Europe and throughout their value chains. 3. Future directions for the Danish solar sector: The final section offers strategies for advancing the respect for human rights in the Danish solar sector.

Sexual and gender-based violence in artisanal and small-scale mining in Ghana: Implications for African women’s socioeconomic empowerment and well-being

Resource Key: QSQVRV6R

Document Type: Journal Article

Creator:

Date: September 2025

Language: en

This paper examines the complexities of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) in artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) in Africa, drawing from qualitative interviews with 38 women miners and 9 non-miners in Ghana. Our findings revealed five themes; 1) sex for mining jobs/roles and trading space protection, 2) physical aggression towards women miners during work, 3) sexual exploitations and manipulations, 4) everyday sexual harassment at mine sites: body touching and sexist comments, and 5) emotional/psychological abuse– which underlie women’s experiences of SGBV in ASM spaces. These findings have implications for women’s empow erment in ASM as discussed in the paper.

Energy transitions at remote mines: The implications of transitioning to low-carbon electricity generation for Indigenous rights in northern Canada

Resource Key: FB4EDRC6

Document Type: Journal Article

Creator:

Date: September 2025

Language: en

This article contributes to scholarly literature about energy transitions, extraction, and social justice with case studies of proposed low-carbon electricity generation for remote mines in Nunavut, Canada. It considers the implications of energy transitions at remote mines for the Indigenous rights of Inuit and Dene. On the one hand, low-carbon electricity generation can disturb wildlife habitat, negatively affecting the ability of Inuit and Dene to exercise their rights to harvest wildlife. On the other hand, Indigenous community and institutional opposition to some forms of low-carbon electricity generation raises questions about the ability of Indigenous peoples to provide or withhold their consent to land uses that may negatively affect their rights. In some cases, compromises between Indigenous communities and extractive industries will be possible. Compromise solutions are more likely to emerge when proponents and regulators consider ecological and Indigenous values when siting energy infrastructure, avoid siting infrastructure in critical wildlife habitat, consult Indigenous communities regarding the type of low carbon electricity generation, and agree to conservative and precautionary measures to mitigate the effects of electricity generation on wildlife.