Land and Resource Investment Consultations in the Time of COVID-19: The Hazards of Pressing on

May 24, 2020 | Sam Szoke-Burke
View Original

Communities in countries as diverse as the Philippines, Liberia, and Colombia are experiencing increased pressures on their lands and resources. Pressure is coming from governments desperate for future economic drivers once the COVID-19 crisis subsides. Companies and connected elites are also seeking to forge ahead with investments on community lands or even take advantage of the pandemic to avoid the usual authorization requirements.

Meaningful community consultations - a crucial step in investment planning - will often be impossible to achieve during lockdowns. Where the crisis stops communities from safely having a say about any proposed investments that will affect them, governments should halt authorization processes. Public and private actors that force action on investments during the pandemic may find resistance, conflict and operational risk instead of economic relief.