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Digital-ID in Namibia: Country Report
No full textThis report provides an overview of Namibia’s biometric identification (ID) system. It centres on the national ID system that has evolved from paper based documentation dating from pre-1990 to increasingly biometric inclusive documentation that incorporates fingerprint and facial recognition technologies. The introduction of the of biometric ID, and its gradual rollout within the refugee community, specifically, is recognised as necessary to upscale service provision for essential services such as providing access to social grants, while also facilitating cross-border movement, and is among the many digital activities needed to transform Namibia into a knowledge-based economy.This research assesses the current state of the biometric ID system and existing legislative framework, while also comparing operational implementation against established rule of law, rights-based, and risk-based tests. This report evaluates the strengths and vulnerabilities in the system’s design and governance; it examines the system’s effectiveness, and balances security considerations with citizens’ rights to privacy, inclusion, and non-discrimination. </p
Contesting Mineral Extraction for Transformation: Civic Power in Just Energy Transitions
No full textArgentina and Chile have emerged as key suppliers of critical minerals essential to the global green transition. Yet the expansion of mineral extraction in both countries has triggered widespread socioenvironmental conflict. This article examines the scale, drivers, and outcomes of civil society resistance to mining, based on a review of over 180 sources and original mapping of 36 conflict cases. It argues that these conflicts are not isolated or episodic, but pervasive, politically significant, and increasingly influential in shaping the strategies for a just transition. Led by diverse actors – indigenous communities, local assemblies, non-governmental organisations, and municipal governments – resistance has often succeeded in blocking projects, prompting legal reforms, and generating bottom-up innovations. While resistance highlights failures in current governance models, it also advances alternative visions rooted in territorial justice and democratic participation. Civil society resistance should be recognised not as a barrier but as a potential catalyst for institutional and policy transformation.Resumen Argentina y Chile se han consolidado como proveedores clave de minerales críticos esenciales para la transición energética global. Sin embargo, la expansión de la actividad minera en ambos países ha generado amplios conflictos socioambientales. Este artículo analiza la escala, las causas y los resultados de la resistencia de la sociedad civil a la minería, a partir de una revisión de más de 180 fuentes y un mapeo de 36 casos de conflicto. Sostiene que estos conflictos no son episodios aislados, sino fenómenos generalizados, políticamente significativos y cada vez más influyentes en la configuración de estrategias para una transición justa. Lideradas por actores diversos —comunidades indígenas, asambleas locales, organizaciones no gubernamentales y gobiernos municipales—, estas resistencias han logrado en muchos casos frenar proyectos, impulsar reformas legales y generar innovaciones desde abajo. Si bien estas resistencias ponen en evidencia las fallas de los modelos de gobernanza actuales, también proponen estrategias alternativas basadas en la justicia territorial y la participación democrática. Se propone por lo tanto que las mismas no deben entenderse como un obstáculo, sino como un posible catalizador de transformaciones institucionales y políticas.Resumo A Argentina e o Chile emergiram como fornecedores centrais de minerais críticos essenciais à transição energética global. No entanto, a expansão da extracção mineira em ambos os países desencadeou conflitos socioambientais generalizados. Este artigo analisa a escala, os factores determinantes e os resultados da resistência da sociedade civil à mineração, com base numa revisão de mais de 180 fontes e no mapeamento original de 36 casos de conflito. Defende-se que estes conflitos não são isolados ou episódicos, mas sim omnipresentes, politicamente significativos e cada vez mais influentes na definição das estratégias para uma transição justa. Liderada por actores diversos – comunidades indígenas, assembleias locais, organizações não-governamentais e governos municipais – a resistência conseguiu, em muitos casos, bloquear projectos, promover reformas legais e gerar inovações de base. Embora revele falhas nos actuais modelos de governação, esta resistência também projecta visões alternativas, assentes na justiça territorial e na participação democrática. A resistência da sociedade civil deve ser reconhecida não como um obstáculo, mas como um potencial catalisador de transformação institucional e política.</p
Envisioning Colombia’s Energy Transition: The Power of Narratives to Foster Equity and Justice
No full textThis article examines the role of narratives in shaping Colombia’s energy transition debate. While the current government’s proposal to phase out fossil fuels has gained international recognition, domestic discourse remains polarised and dominated by powerful economic and political interests. These dominant narratives often marginalise alternative voices – particularly those from civil society and fossil-fuel-producing regions. In response, a participatory initiative led by the Natural Resource Governance Institute (NRGI) and partners convened diverse social actors to co-create a metanarrative and set of alternative narratives for a just energy transition. This article explores how inclusive narratives rooted in equity and justice can counterbalance exclusionary discourses and serve as strategic tools for advancing transformative change in the energy transition pathway.Este artículo examina el rol de las narrativas en la formulación del debate sobre la transición energética en Colombia. A pesar de que la propuesta del gobierno actual de eliminar gradualmente los combustibles fósiles ha recibido reconocimiento internacional, el discurso a nivel nacional sigue polarizado y dominado por poderosos intereses económicos y políticos. Esas narrativas dominantes suelen marginalizar a las voces alternativas – en particular aquellas provenientes de la sociedad civil y de las regiones productoras de combustibles fósiles. Como respuesta, el Natural Resource Governance Institute (NRGI) y sus aliados lideraron una iniciativa participativa para convocar a diversos actores sociales a fin de crear de forma conjunta una metanarrativa y un conjunto de narrativas alternativas para una transición energética justa. En este artículo se explora la forma en que las narrativas incluyentes asentadas en la equidad y la justicia pueden ejercer contrapeso a los discursos excluyentes y fungir como herramientas estratégicas que apoyen el cambio transformador en la ruta hacia la transición energética.Este artigo analisa o papel das narrativas na conformação do debate sobre a transição energética na Colômbia. Embora a proposta do actual governo de eliminar progressivamente os combustíveis fósseis tenha obtido reconhecimento internacional, o discurso interno permanece polarizado e dominado por poderosos interesses económicos e políticos. Estas narrativas dominantes tendem a marginalizar vozes alternativas – em particular as da sociedade civil e das regiões produtoras de combustíveis fósseis. Em resposta, uma iniciativa participativa, liderada pelo Natural Resource Governance Institute (NRGI) e parceiros, reuniu diversos actores sociais para co-criar uma metanarrativa e um conjunto de narrativas alternativas para uma transição energética justa. O artigo explora de que forma narrativas inclusivas, enraizadas na equidade e na justiça, podem contrabalançar discursos de exclusão e servir como ferramentas estratégicas para o avanço de uma mudança transformadora no percurso da transição energética.</p
Imaginando la transición energética de Colombia: el poder de las narrativas para fomentar la equidad y la justicia
No full textEste artículo examina el rol de las narrativas en la formulación del debate sobre la transición energética en Colombia. A pesar de que la propuesta del gobierno actual de eliminar gradualmente los combustibles fósiles ha recibido reconocimiento internacional, el discurso a nivel nacional sigue polarizado y dominado por poderosos intereses económicos y políticos. Esas narrativas dominantes suelen marginalizar a las voces alternativas – en particular aquellas provenientes de la sociedad civil y de las regiones productoras de combustibles fósiles. Como respuesta, el Natural Resource Governance Institute (NRGI) y sus aliados lideraron una iniciativa participativa para convocar a diversos actores sociales a fin de crear de forma conjunta una metanarrativa y un conjunto de narrativas alternativas para una transición energética justa. En este artículo se explora la forma en que las narrativas incluyentes asentadas en la equidad y la justicia pueden ejercer contrapeso a los discursos excluyentes y fungir como herramientas estratégicas que apoyen el cambio transformador en la ruta hacia la transición energética.</p
International Partnerships for Low-Cost Antimicrobial Discovery and Development
No full textTen years ago, the O’Neill Review on Antimicrobial Resistance called for a major effort to discover and develop new antimicrobials. It outlined a strategy for achieving this through a combination of “push” and “pull” incentives and, importantly, measures to reduce the cost of antimicrobial development. The UK has played an important role in mobilising a global effort to implement this strategy. A lot of progress has been made, but the current situation does not match the expressed ambition.Recent developments in the science and technology capabilities of several middle-income countries and their pharmaceutical sectors, including in research and development, are creating new opportunities for implementing a strategy that could enable sustainable and affordable antimicrobial discovery, development and manufacturing. This would entail new kinds of international partnership based on the principle of shared commitment to contribute to a global public good but with differentiated responsibilities. The UK is well-placed to continue its catalytic role within international leadership, but a more systematic and implementable approach is required at national and cross-national levels.</p
Faire le lien entre recettes de la taxe foncière et services publics || Linking Property Tax Revenue and Public Services
No full textEn pratique, la plupart des réformes sur la taxe foncière ont pour but premier l’augmentation des recettes fiscales. Mais l’objectif final de la réforme fiscale est bien évidemment plus vaste : il s’agit d’améliorer les recettes fiscales afin de financer des biens et services publics fondamentaux. Une réforme fiscale n’est socialement attractive que si les recettes fiscales permettent des améliorations concrètes pour la société. Sinon la fiscalité n’est rien que le prélèvement des revenus des contribuables.
In practical terms most property tax reforms are, first and foremost, efforts to increase tax revenue. But the ultimate goal of tax reform is, of course, broader: expanding tax revenue in order to finance the provision of valuable publicly-provided goods and services. Tax reform is only socially desirable if tax revenue is, in fact, translated into improved public outcomes. Otherwise taxation amounts to little more than the extraction of revenue from taxpayers. Tax reformers are correspondingly faced with a simple question: is the revenue from tax reform actually likely to be translated into publicly-provided goods and services? Perhaps more importantly, could property tax reform programmes be designed explicitly to increase the likelihood that revenue will be translated into valued publicly-provided goods and services? Rather than only raising more revenue, tax
reformers may have the power to proactively shape the quality of public spending
Understanding the Impacts of Outdoor Air Pollution on Social Inequality: Advancing a Just Transition Framework
No full textOutdoor air pollution is a major environmental risk that caused over 4.2 million premature deaths worldwide in 2016. In this article, we investigate how groups with lower social-economic status are disproportionally affected by outdoor air pollution. Based on a comparative case study of two heavily polluted urban areas around Beijing and Delhi, we find that people's economic welfare and political rights are affected disproportionally not only by toxic air pollutants, but also through various policy interventions, market activities, and social practices designed to reduce or adapt to air pollution. Drawing on the concepts of environmental justice and just transitions, we present an analytical framework for investigating the links between outdoor air pollution and social inequalities. The framework enables a better understanding of structural constraints, political constraints and protective constraints in the context of outdoor air pollution and their impacts on social vulnerabilities with particular relevance to fast industrialising countries. We also provide recommendations on how to design and implement air pollution policies and social interventions in a socially inclusive manner.</p
How Clean is Customs Data? Data Management in Uganda Revenue Authority
No full textThis paper assesses the accuracy and completeness of import and export data in the Uganda Revenue Authority's ASYCUDA World system. It focuses on (1) identification details for importers/exporters, (2) consistency with value-added tax (VAT) and income tax returns, and (3) alignment with international databases.Significant data quality gaps are found, especially in exports data and imports under simplified regimes and customs duty exemptions. Notably, export data, particularly under the single customs territory (the East Africa region), is of poor quality, with untraceable exporter details and inflated customs values, resulting in the values in the URA’s ASYCUDA World system being more than twice those reported internationally. The quality of import data is generally sound, attributed to the scrutiny during the declaration and approval processes driven by customs duties. However, a notable decline is observed for tax-exempted imports, especially under simplified customs regimes and by exempted organisations, marked by increased misdeclaration and misclassification. Inconsistencies between the ASYCUDA World system data and those reported in VAT and income tax returns highlight the need for targeted efforts to improve accuracy in these specific import categories.</p
Enhancing Taxpayer Registration with Inter-Institutional Data Sharing – Evidence from Uganda
No full textGovernments in low-income countries struggle to collect
and use population information adequately. For tax
administrations, all of which require comprehensive data
about the tax base, the lack of accurate information is a
crucial challenge. This challenge often appears intractable
for African tax administrations, which operate in a context
of high informality. Cross-agency data-sharing agreements
and inter-institutional system integration, primarily related
to national identification (ID) schemes, seem to offer
a solution. These can potentially improve registration
functions, facilitate identification of evaders, increase
efficiency, and reduce taxpayers’ compliance costs. Summary of ICTD African Tax Administration Paper 35
الشركات المتناهية الصّغَر والصغيرة والمتوسِّطة في لبنان والتحوُّل في قطاع الطاقة | Lebanon’s MSMEs and the Energy Transition
No full textتعاني منطقة الشرق الأوسط وشمال أفريقيا من آثار الظواهر الجوية المتطرفة، وندرة المياه، وسوء جودة الهواء، بالإضافة إلى تدهور النظم البيئية والصحة العامة. ومع ذلك، لا تحظى هذه المخاطر بالاهتمام الكافي، في ظل الأزمات السياسية المستمرة والانهيار المالي في عدة دول، مثل لبنان وسوريا وليبيا والسودان وغيرها. ولحسن الحظ، تتمتع المنطقة بإشعاع شمسي مرتفع ورياح قوية، مما يسمح لها بالتحول إلى الطاقة المتجددة، التي لم تُستغل بالكامل بعد. لذلك، ينبغي مناقشة تدابير التكيف والتعاون الدولي بجدية أكبر في إطار أجندة شاملة للتحول في مجال الطاقة، تلتزم بدمج الأبعاد الاقتصادية والاجتماعية والبيئية.English translation available.</p