Governance for Justice and Environmental Sustainability: Lessons across Natural Resource Sectors in Sub-Saharan Africa

As a result of increasing pressures from globalisation, consumption levels, the expanding gap between rich and poor and contestation for property rights and use, the world's natural resources are under threat. Over-exploitation, mismanagement and degradation have had a severe impact, most noticeably on local communities and indigenous people, many of whom are exposed to abject poverty and who rely on natural resources for food security, income and livelihoods. An increased understanding of the complex interactions and interdependencies that exist between natural and socio-economic systems has prompted calls for alternative and innovative approaches to managing natural resources. This book focuses on consolidating and enhancing intellectual understanding, knowledge and capacity about governance systems required to achieve justice and environmental sustainability, with a particular focus on Sub-Saharan Africa. Issues of governance underpin many of these threats and pressures, meaning both the political dimension of policy formulation and the cultural frameworks and institutions by which natural resources are controlled and coordinated. The operations of governance and the relationships between the various levels of people involved are presented through both topical discussions and example-based analyses, so as to highlight the complexity and the need for cooperation from all parties. In each case, this work presents the problem, an attempted solution, and suggestions for improvement based on in-depth analysis of detailed evidence. This book aims to highlight the contributions that an increased understanding of governance systems and effective resource management can offer to the furthering of concepts like social justice, participation, poverty alleviation and human rights.