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The document examines how valuable minerals can finance violence, trigger local conflicts, and weaken state governance through corruption. It provides lessons learned for development interventions, such as empowering local communities, supporting artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM), and promoting corporate responsibility. The toolkit includes a survey instrument for risk assessment and lists USAID contracting mechanisms and international partners to address mineral-related conflict.

The document lists the top 15 oil palm-producing countries as of 2016, including major producers such as Indonesia, Malaysia, and Papua New Guinea, while categorizing them based on harvest area and VSS compliance.

This research paper by the Institute for Security Studies examines the Regulation of Foreign Military Assistance Bill [B54-97], approved by the South African Cabinet on 30 April 1997. While the authors support the goal of preventing South African citizens and companies from providing unauthorized military services abroad, they argue the Bill's scope is overly broad and grants excessive discretionary power to the Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs, thereby undermining parliamentary oversight.

The report analyzes UN discourse on small arms and light weapons (SALW) from 2001 to 2003, concluding that gender perspectives remain marginalized. The authors find that when gender is mentioned, women are almost exclusively characterized as passive victims, while the specific impacts on men and the active roles of women as peace-builders are largely ignored. While NGOs and international organizations demonstrate a more nuanced understanding of gender, member state delegations often lack expertise or prioritize other issues. The document recommends bridging the gap between gender experts and policymakers through targeted education and coordinated advocacy to ensure that the 2006 Review Conference on SALW reflects the diverse experiences of both men and women.

The report analyzes the intersection of private security services and international law, specifically focusing on the definition of mercenaries under Protocol I of the Geneva Conventions and the legal obligations of states where such companies are based. It explores the legitimacy of providing military support to governments versus dissident parties, the risks of privatizing security for corporations in weak states, and the ethical and legal dilemmas humanitarian organisations face when considering armed escorts. The text concludes that the rise of 'new mercenaries' requires a coordinated UN response to prevent the erosion of national sovereignty and ensure adherence to humanitarian principles.

The document outlines the legal challenges faced by communities regarding land and resource rights, specifically the lack of recognition for customary laws and state ownership of sub-soil resources. It provides a comprehensive directory of international instruments, such as the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and ILO Convention 169, as well as business and finance guidelines (e.g., UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, IFC Performance Standards) that can be used to empower communities. The guide suggests including customary laws, governance structures, and specific national/international legal references in community protocols to define terms for external engagement and protect cultural and environmental heritage.

The authors present a dataset of 357 armed conflict episodes (1946–2006) to track post-conflict justice (PCJ) processes. PCJ is defined as any process initiated within five years of a conflict's end to address wrongdoings. The dataset identifies six primary tools: trials, truth commissions, reparations, amnesties, purges, and exiles. Preliminary analysis shows that the choice of justice mechanism is influenced by conflict intensity, incompatibility (territorial vs. government control), and the type of termination (victory vs. bargained solution). For instance, trials are more frequent after decisive victories, while amnesties are more common after bargained solutions and in high-intensity civil wars.

The study finds no general statistical relationship between forest resources and the onset or duration of civil wars at the national level. While some disaggregated results suggest that proximity to the coast may prolong conflicts in forested zones, the authors conclude that the perceived link between forests and conflict is largely driven by a few specific cases, such as Burma, rather than a global pattern.

The research argues that civil war dynamics are best understood as dyadic interactions between governments and specific rebel groups rather than through aggregate national characteristics. Using new data on non-state actors, the authors find that militarily strong rebels tend to fight shorter wars and are more likely to achieve decisive victories or concessions. Conversely, conflicts are prolonged when rebels are militarily weak but maintain territorial control in the periphery, as they can evade government repression without being strong enough to force a settlement. The study also indicates that the availability of legal political wings for rebels shortens conflict duration, and that the likelihood of government victory decreases significantly as a conflict persists.

The paper maps the disparate research and practice of 'business-peace' interactions into five core assertions: economic engagement creating a peace dividend, local development building peace capacities, importing international norms for accountability, constraining conflict drivers, and direct corporate diplomacy. While proponents argue these activities foster stability and development, critics warn of neo-colonial exploitation, 'peacewashing', and the risk of exacerbating local inequalities. The author concludes that business contributions are often limited by the willingness of local regimes and the priority of profit over courageous ethical choices in fragile contexts.

The document analyzes conflict dynamics in Asia from 1989 to 2019 using UCDP data. It finds that while state-based conflicts are generally declining and often low-intensity, Afghanistan remains a critical exception and the most violent setting in the region and the world. Asia recorded the highest absolute number of ceasefires globally between 1989 and 2018, but peace agreements have declined since 2006. Non-state conflicts in Asia are declining, contrary to global trends, while one-sided violence is generally decreasing but saw a recent increase in 2019 driven by Afghanistan.

The document argues that Australia's mandatory off-shore processing regime in Nauru and Papua New Guinea constitutes a violation of the principle of non-refoulement. It contends that by transferring asylum seekers to facilities characterized by arbitrary detention, inadequate medical care, and conditions akin to torture, Australia exercises extraterritorial jurisdiction and remains legally responsible for these human rights violations. The author warns that this model serves as a blueprint for similar externalization policies currently emerging in the European Union.

The Papua LNG project, led by TotalEnergies, faces delays and rising costs, with estimates increasing from US$10 billion to US$18 billion. While some banks have declined direct financing due to climate policies, others continue to fund the project's developers. The project is projected to emit over 220 million tonnes of CO2, increasing Papua New Guinea's industrial and energy sector emissions by 7%, and poses significant risks to biodiversity and local communities in the Gulf Province. Critics argue that investing in renewable energy would be more cost-effective and beneficial for the country's electricity needs.

The report examines the South African mining industry's decline, highlighted by the Marikana shootings, and argues that structural issues—including regulatory uncertainty, failing social and labour plans, and 'narrow' BEE policies—undermine investor confidence and social stability. It proposes adopting the Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights, replacing Social and Labour Plans with Community Development Agreements, and reforming BEE to benefit workers and communities rather than a small elite. The author warns that the ANC's proposed 'strategic nationalisation' of minerals like platinum and coal, as suggested in the SIMS report, could further jeopardise economic growth and exacerbate social conflict.

The document details the negative impacts of Harita Group's nickel operations on Obi Island, including marine pollution, forced relocation of residents, and workplace fatalities. It highlights the company's reliance on coal-fired power plants (PLTU) and argues that the IPO of PT Trimegah Bangun Persada Tbk (NCKL) enables further destruction. The text specifically criticizes investors like Glencore and Fidelity International, as well as several global banking underwriters, for breaching net-zero and Paris Agreement commitments by supporting the company.

The document critiques the April 2023 IPO of PT Trimegah Bangun Persada Tbk (NCKL), alleging that the capital increase will fund further environmental degradation and social displacement on Obi Island. It highlights the use of coal-fired power plants (PLTU) for nickel processing, illegal waste disposal into the sea, and workplace fatalities. The report further claims that investors like Glencore and Fidelity International, and several underwriting banks, are violating their net-zero and Paris Agreement commitments by supporting Harita Group.

The executive summary argues that strengthening legal forest rights for Indigenous Peoples and local communities is a vital tool for mitigating climate change. It finds that forests under strong legal recognition and government protection experience significantly lower deforestation rates than those without such protections. The document emphasizes that legal rights alone are insufficient if governments undermine them through the allocation of resource concessions or failure to prevent illegal encroachments.

The document examines the consequences of environmental and social risk management in overseas investments through six case studies of multinational companies. It argues that strong risk management benefits companies, while failure leads to financial loss and reputational damage. It provides specific strategic advice for Chinese companies to mitigate these risks by adhering to host country laws, understanding local cultures, engaging stakeholders, and adopting international best practices. Additionally, it offers policy recommendations for the Chinese government, financial institutions, NGOs, and media to improve the oversight and impact of China's outward foreign direct investment.

The report finds that over 60% of global coral reefs are threatened by local human activities, rising to 75% when heat stress is included. In the Coral Triangle, this figure exceeds 85%. The document highlights that while 28% of global reefs are in marine protected areas (MPAs), only 6% are effectively managed. It predicts that by 2050, nearly all reefs in the Coral Triangle will be threatened, with over 90% facing high to critical risks due to the combined effects of local pressures, ocean warming, and acidification.