Dear Readers:
Perhaps no surprise that we start this week with the ongoing COP27 climate conference where there are increasingly forthright demands for accountability to turn funding and emission pledges into reality.
An early highlight was the report of the UN Secretary General’s high-level expert group demanding zero tolerance for greenwashing going forward. Business has been put on notice that “transparency and accountability are key.” Read Felicia Jackson’s overview or Catherine Abreu‘s live tweets of the session.
Keep scrolling!
P.S. Remember, TAI doesn't own the photos. All photos used in this weekly have a link to their source.
WHAT´S NEW?
ALL ABOUT COP 27!
Conversations at COP27 confirm that the transition to net zero risks is being undermined by a lack of understanding of the risks of corruption in the renewable energy sector. Will the G20 do anything about it as they meet in Bali this week?
The Alliance of African Think Tanks calls for accountability on projects in the energy sector and the "the immediate termination of crony contracts that deepen the energy poverty of citizens".
Corporate Accountability Public Participation Africa report on the impacts of the climate crisis on frontline communities in Nigeria, Togo, South Africa, and Cameroon, part of a larger effort to build regional solidarity around the call to hold Big Polluters legally liable for the impacts that the climate crisis is having on communities.
Natasha White lays out the potential of Debt-for-nature or climate swap deals that typically allow a country to restructure its debt at a lower interest rate or longer maturity, with the proceeds being allocated to conservation or green projects.
TAI RECOMMENDS!
Climate Change’s impacts are mounting, especially for those least responsible for it. Addressing climate-induced loss and damage and using innovative financial solutions for climate adaptation are keys to Climate Justice. Read a new report from Foreign Policy - with support from TAI´s member Open Society Foundations.
FROM OUR MEMBERS
OPEN SOCIETY FOUNDATIONS:
Georgia Levenson Keohane, a leading proponent of responsible investment strategies for social and environmental impact, will assume the role of chief executive of the Soros Economic Development Fund (SEDF)
SKOLL FOUNDATION:
Recommends this interview with Rodney Foxworth of their grantee Common Future. He discusses the necessity for a shift in mindset toward ownership, power and control.
MACARTHUR FOUNDATION:
Recommends “The multiverse, gentrification, decision making, and outer space”, a fantastic conversation with MacFellow N.K. Jemisin and columnist Ezra Klein.
CHANDLER FOUNDATION:
Highlights Tim Hanstad´s blog “Donors: Is How We Think About Impact Holding Us Back from Achieving It? Hastand argues that “Most philanthropy alleviates symptoms of failing systems. That is necessary. But more philanthropy should be directed at the root causes — at trying to make the system work more equitably..."
TOOLS FOR FUNDERS
If we are to become active makers of futures, we have to put in the driver seat those whose lives are most intimately intertwined with the issue, and often, these are groups and individuals traditionally not in circles of power. Krizna Gomez speaking at the ‘Finnsight 22’ event.
Read some lessons on the Digital Freedom Fund’s internal decolonizing journey so far, and how it is informing the organization’s next four years strategy.
Packard Foundation shares its experiences as it works towards improved grant-making that is more accountable, flexible and reduces burden on grantee partners.
Have you seen our latest video? In this animation, TAI explores how transparency, accountability, and participation tools and approaches could support the efforts toward a just climate transition. This is premium content, only for our weekly subscribers.
ESSENTIAL LISTENING!
Mvemba, Director and Senior Fellow of CSIS’ Africa Program, and Mr. Nicolas Kazadi, Minister of Finance of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) discuss the Millennium Challenge Corporation, tackling corruption in the mining industry and the public sector, conflict in eastern DRC, and the auction of oil blocks and climate pledges.
FOCUSED TOPIC OF THE WEEK
"SURVEILLANCE, PRIVACY, AND FUNDING FOR RESPONSIBLE TECH AND MEDIA"
Governments around the world have been adopting surveillance measures for decades. But with the development of new technologies, including AI, they can deploy surveillance at unprecedented scale and speed, as well as gain easy access to new sources of information. The European Center for Non-for-Profit Law (ECNL) launched a new module providing free information on the different forms of tech used in the name of counterterrorism and their impact on human rights and civic space.
Meanwhile the recent Data Privacy Global Conference in Brazil gathered IT- professionals, researchers, and decision-makers to build relevant connections and to create paths to social justice and technology regulation. Participants discussed about “the future we want now”. Just a few days earlier, Turkey hosted the 44th Global Privacy Assembly bringing together regulators and government officials from all continents. Discussions on privacy and human rights were at the top of the agenda.
The Mozilla Ventures fund will launch early next year and be the first-of-its-kind to invest in startups that push the internet — and the responsible tech industry — in a better direction.
What about those funding for those champions of acces to information – newsrooms? Nieman Lab experts question if journalism intermediaries are getting too much philanthropic money at expense of newsrooms themselves in the US? It’s a debate with relevance for media support in different geographies around the world.
ESSENTIAL WATCHING!
An earth-centered rather than a human-centered vision for our future. Watch this animation and interactive story reflecting on how his philosophy of Earth Jurisprudence emerged.
ACCOUNTABILITY ROUND-UP!
The collapse of the FTX crypto exchange has no shortage of governance lessons. "It’s all rooted in a lack of transparency and conflicts of interest" says Anish Puaar. For a business founded on a technology that enshrines transactional transparency, opacity is proving its undoing.
In the United States, Open Secrets estimate that spending on last week’s state and federal elections will exceed $16.7 billion. 100s of millions came from "dark money" groups. Interesting to see Chinese media pick up on role of money in the US votes.
Mark Pieth, founder of the Basel Institute on Governance reflects on two decades in the business of fighting corruption.
Nine out of ten Filippinos agree that the government should strengthen anti-corruption laws, representatives, agencies, and collective mechanisms to implement and fulfill its international commitment to fight corruption according to a nationwide survey.
JOBS AT TAI MEMBERS
Job postings at Hewlett Foundation - ONGOING
Job postings at MacArthur Foundation - ONGOING
Job postings at Open Society Foundations - ONGOING
Job postings at Luminate - ONGOING
Job postings at Ford Foundation - ONGOING
Job postings at FCDO - ONGOING
Job postings at Skoll - ONGOING
JOBS LISTINGS
Human Resources Coordinator, Urgent Action Fund for Women’s Human Rights
Consultant: Urgent Action Sister Funds Global Care Research Podcast Producer- Russian & English Speaking, Urgent Action Fund for Women’s Human Rights
Program Officer, Democratic Transformation, Mexico City, Open Society Foundations
Program Manager, Media, Freedom and Safety, Open Society Foundations
Strategy Design Lead, Human Rights Watch
Researcher-Advocate (Human Rights & Equalities), Tax Justice Network
Senior Researcher-Advocate (Climate & Inequalities), Tax Justice Network
Impact Lead for Civic Rights in a Digital Era, Hivos
CALLS / OPPORTUNITIES
Fellowship in Climate Change Law - Apply by January 15, 2023
Climate finance is only effective when it is gender just - Call to Action for COP27 - Global Alliance for Green and Gender Action
UNESCO Massive Open Online Course: Access to Information Laws and Policies and their Implementation, Free to access
CALENDAR
November 17, 2022, Compliance Summit 2022 América Latina
November 17, 2022, Building trust and reinforcing democracy - OECD Global Forum
November 17, 2022, The New Customary Land Rights Act in Sierra Leone: Bringing informed community consent to responsible investment,
November 21-25, 2022, 2022 European Pro Bono Week - PILnet
December 6-10, 2022, “International Anti-Corruption Conference,
December 12-14, 2022, 2022 Effective Development Co-operation Summit, Global Taskforce
Michael Jarvis,
TAI's Executive Director