OVERVIEW

The Transparent Governance of Natural Resources Activity (TGNR) investigates, and proposes solutions to address, natural resource corruption in Colombia.  In partnership with local actors, TGNR investigates how corruption contributes to the four largest drivers of deforestation and land degradation: illegal mining, land grabbing, illegal timber trade, and wildlife trafficking.  TGNR then proposes recommendations to USAID and other relevant stakeholders to support the development of future projects and activities. This activity runs from June 2020-May 2021.

Colombia is the second most biodiverse country in the world, but it has the fourth highest rate of deforestation in the world due to environmental crimes, like illegal gold mining and illegal timber trade.  Environmental crimes are dangerous because they negatively impact biodiversity, and because they undermine Colombia’s peace process. Environmental crimes are often related to corruption financed primarily by the coca trade.

COMPONENTS

DEVELOPING A CROSS-CUTTING ANALYSIS

TGNR works with partners like the World Wide Fund for Nature, the United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime and the Colombian Foundation for Conservation and Sustainable Development, to develop a corruption risk assessment.  TGNR will construct this assessment using an analysis of Colombia institutions, ecosystems and legal frameworks, and will identify targeted anti-corruption activities.

PROMOTING STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT

TGNR’s partner organizations will jointly develop a research methodology that will be implemented by each organization and ensure that their outputs and findings inform the corruption risk assessment. TGNR will also organize a series of stakeholder workshops to gather additional information needed for the corruption risk assessment.   

SHARING RESULTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

TGNR develops communications pieces to disseminate research findings and recommendations to external audiences.  In addition to a developing a report with high-level findings and recommendations, the activity will also develop social-media videos for public distribution. These videos will discuss how corruption contributes to the four drivers of deforestation and degradation, and will share possible solutions to this corruption.

EXPECTED RESULTS

• Produce social media shareable video clips to educate general audiences on how corruption contributes to the drivers of deforestation and degradation, and possible solutions;
• Organize workshops with public and private stakeholders to disseminate report findings and propose recommendations to address corruption; and
• Create a corruption risks assessment to map out where there are gaps between national policy and local implementation, where laws and regulation are weak, and what conditions allow  corruption to occur.