Fairtrade and Climate Change

Can climate and development issues be tackled through partnerships? In view of the very limited number of multi-stakeholder partnerships for climate change in general, and those focused on development (developing countries) in particular, it seems useful to take a step back and consider the linkages between climate and development in a bit more detail. Also: what are the finance perspectives on climate change? And how do farmers look at the topic? Is there a trade-off between fairtrade and climate change? The fifth Max Havelaar Lecture considers these tensions. Position paper written by Ans Kolk and Jonathan Pinkse. Poverty alleviation constitutes a multi-faceted problem. It is on the one hand extremely local and leads to enormous deprivation of at least half of the world’s population. But on the other hand, it is an extremely international problem as well through the operation of global markets – in particular of resources – and the functioning of value chains. It has increasingly become acknowledged that the role of corporations and the private sector is vital for sustainable solutions to poverty. Entrepreneurial solutions are often considered preferable to the traditional approach of development aid and subsidies. Micro-credits and fair trade labels are typical examples of this new development paradigm. At the same time, however, it is clear that the involvement of private (international) corporations is far from undisputed. The claim that the profit maximisation strategies of private corporations can ‘solve’ poverty requires substantial modifications. It is obvious that some strategies are more effective than others. The integration of developing countries in the international supply chains of multinational corporations can have positive and negative repercussions. The new development paradigm therefore is not yet established, let alone undisputed. The Max Havelaar lecture stimulates the thinking on these issues in a balanced manner, without making use of the usual simplifications either in support of or against the involvement of firms in development. The Max Havelaar organisation is proof of this approach: it is aiming at a continuous improvement in its strategy towards labeling products – increasingly in a variety of partnerships with NGOs, corporations and governments. The Max Havelaar lecture has seven aims: - Provide a platform for the presentation of state-of-the-art scientific insights into how sustainable business and development cooperation can be combined - Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the involvement of corporations in poverty alleviation in a systematic and non-ideological manner - Address the complexities of sustainable development rather than engage in simplifications on poverty, in order to come up with realistic – and obtainable – approaches to address in particular poverty (Millennium Development Goal 1) - Discuss the strengths and weaknesses of specific approaches such as trade marks, codes of conduct, reporting or governance measures - Provide an arena in which innovative ideas can be launched - Consider development as part of international value chains in which a fair distribution of income, power and knowledge is an issue that affects both developed and developing economies - Start a structured dialogue on shaping the preconditions for effective partnerships between public and private parties (including firms and NGOs) for development (Millenium Development Goal 8

The Climate Change - Development Nexus and Tripartite Partnerships

In view of the very limited number of tripartite partnerships for climate change in general, and those focused on development (developing countries) in parti cular, as shown in an earlier position paper (Kolk & Pinkse, 2010), it would seem useful to take a step back and consider the linkages between climate and development in more detail. In view of the very limited number of triparti te partnerships for climate change in general, and those focused on development (developing countries) in parti cular, as shown in an earlier position paper (Kolk & Pinkse, 2010), it would seem useful to take a step back and consider the linkages between climate and development in more detail. This paper starts by doing that. It includes a brief discussion of linkages and trade-off s between the two issues and the crucial distinction between climate change adaptati on and climate change miti gati on. Subsequently, it presents the results of an empirical explorati on of a number of illustrati ve partnerships in what seems to be an emergent phenomenon. Implications will be given for follow-up research on climate change and development partnerships

Business-NGO Collaboration in a Conflict Setting: Partnership Activities in the Democratic Republic of Congo

While business-NGO partnerships have received much attention in recent years, insights have been obtained from research in ‘stable’ contexts, not from conflict-ridden countries where such collaboration may be even more crucial in building trust and capacity and in addressing governance problems given the absence of a reliable state. This paper aims to shed light on business-NGOs collaboration in a conflict setting, exploring partnership activities in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Most partnerships found are philanthropic, and deal with ‘traditional’ issues such as health and education in a donor-recipient mode with limited community involvement. There are only a few real transformative partnerships, which address aspects directly related to the conflict from a wider community focus; these involve extractive companies most exposed via mineral development/production. We also found so-called ‘engagement’ collaboration which can be divided into activities including the transfer of funds (and characterised by service delivery), and those without funds, focusing on knowledge exchange that furthers companies’ awareness of conflict-sensitive issues into their operations. Peculiarities of the different types of partnerships are discussed as well as implications for research and practice

Partnerships as panacea for addressing global problems?

This chapter examines partnerships and their peculiarities, based on recent research from various disciplines, in the context of the large problems faced by (global) society. These problems are very complex, often cross national boundaries, and cannot easily be 'solved' by one single actor. Previous 'unilateral' attempts to address them have not been particularly successful, and there are limits to what a single actor can do. Cooperation also enables different actors to leverage their resources and know how. It is therefore that the past decades has seen a rapid growth and spread of several types of cross-sector collaboration: public-nonprofit; public-private; private-nonprofit; and tripartite partnerships involving government, companies and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). The chapter first gives an overview of the rationale for cross-sector partnerships, and the advantages of partnerships for different actors involved. This is followed by an discussion of the complexity and diversity of contexts in which collaborative activities take place, and of the actors themselves, from a 'global-to-local' (development) perspective. Some of these aspects have been explored in the management literature, but deserve more attention in research and in the practice of partnerships. What has been examined somewhat more, although without a definite answer so far, is the effectiveness of partnerships in relation to the larger problem(s) to be solved. Some of the difficulties of assessing 'impact' will be indicated, accompanied by recent insights, considering different levels (macro, meso, micro) and roles of partnerships. Reflections on limitations and recent trends – including a possible move beyond partnerships – will be offered as well

Emerging energy geographies : scaling and spatial divergence in European electricity generation capacity

This paper presents an evaluation of the impact of the related EU internal energy market and renewable energy policies by exploring the (sustainable) energy transition in the EUropean electricity sector and drawing on the emerging literatures on energy geographies. We use evidence aggregated from plant-level data on installed electricity generation capacity in the EUropean electric utilities sector over the period 1990–2013 to demonstrate how the unintended interaction between EU policies on energy market liberalization and climate change have led to new renewable energy entrants and more widely dispersed ownership of total generation capacity. Our empirical results suggest that six energy geography concepts enable deeper insights into the spatiality of the EUropean energy transition. Specifically, we find that territoriality and scaling are key lenses for interpreting the differentiated change processes occurring at EUropean, subregional and national levels. The EUropean energy transition is unlikely to converge onto a single trajectory any time soon, but particularly subregional approaches are argued to offer policy-makers with more spatially cognizant and effective levers

Indicatoren kwaliteit landelijk gebied : uitwerking van een methode, toepassingsmogelijkheden en een set van indicatoren

Een studie naar indicatoren voor een integrale, systematische, overzichtelijke en inzichtelijke beschrijving van de kwaliteit van het landelijk gebied. Deze kwaliteit is daarbij opgevat als een combinatie van natuurkwaliteit, landbouwkwaliteit, landschapskwaliteit, recreatiekwaliteit, veiligheid en gezondheid en leefbaarheid. Deze uitwerking is beschreven in Oenema et al., 2009 (WOt-werkdocument 130). De definiëring en interpretatie van de ‘impact’, de zogenoemde ‘eindpunten’ (natuurkwaliteit, landbouwkwaliteit, landschapskwaliteit, recreatiekwaliteit, veiligheid en gezondheid en leefbaarheid) bleek echter gecompliceerd en onbevredigend omdat de eindpunten van ongelijke orde zijn en ze door elkaar worden beïnvloedt. Daarom is besloten om de zoektocht naar geschikte indicatoren voor de kwaliteit van het landelijk gebied voort te zetten in 2009. De aandacht is hierbij vooral gericht op het vinden van een alternatief van de zogenoemde ‘eindpunten’

Micro-Level Interactions in Business-Nonprofit Partnerships

While most research on business-nonprofit partnerships has focused on macro and meso perspectives, this paper pays attention to the micro level. Drawing on various theoretical perspectives from both marketing and management, we conceptually relate the outcomes of active employee participation in such partnerships to consumer self-interest. We also explore empirically whether and when self-interest affects consumers’ responses towards firms in relation to business-nonprofit partnerships. The study reveals that self-interest can directly influence consumers’ behavioral responses towards firms (i.e. switching and buying intentions, and word of mouth), whereas the impact on evaluative responses in terms of attitude and trust is only weak. The fit between the firm and the nonprofit partner (company-cause fit) turns out to moderate this effect, with consumer self-interest only playing a role if fit is high. Implications for research and practice are discussed

In Search of Viable Business Models for Development: Sustainable Energy in Developing Countries

Purpose – Although the crucial role of business, and of business-based approaches, in development is increasingly emphasised by academics and practitioners, we lack insight into the ‘whether and how’ of viable business models, in environmental, social and economical terms. This article analyses private-sector involvement in development, including a business perspective of firm-level factors, taking the case of sustainable energy in developing countries. Design/methodology/approach – In the framework of the international business and development debate, we examine the ‘state of the art’ on sustainable energy and business involvement, and present our own research on illustrative cases from local companies involved in renewable, off-grid rural electrification. Implications are discussed, viewed from the broader perspective of business models. Findings – Existing studies on sustainable energy take macro-economic and/or policy-oriented approaches, containing specific case studies of rural electrification and/or recommended financing/delivery models. We categorize them on two dimensions (levels of subsidies and public/private involvement) and conclude that market-based models operating without subsidies do hardly exist in theory – and also not in practice, as our study shows that companies can at best have part of their portfolio non-subsidized based on customer segmentation or require socially-oriented investors/funders. Research limitations/applications – This exploratory study can be a starting point for further in-depth analyses. Practical implications – The article outlines challenges faced by companies/entrepreneurs when aiming for viable business models, and provides insights to policy-makers who want to further the role of business in sustainable (energy) development. Societal implications – Sustainable energy and development are crucial and interlinked issues highly relevant to global society, as exemplified by the UN year of Sustainable Energy for All and Rio 20. Originality/value – The article contributes new dimensions and perspectives that have been left unexplored, and that are crucial for reducing poverty and stimulating sustainable (energy) development

Multinationals, CSR and Partnerships in Central African Conflict Countries

Attention has increased for the potential role of Multinational Enterprises (MNEs) in helping address conflict issues and/or furthering peace and reconciliation as part of their corporate social responsibility policies. However, while existing literature emphasises the importance for MNEs to collaborate with various stakeholders, including non-governmental organisations (NGOs), research on the scope, peculiarities and impact of such cooperation has been limited, particularly in those countries in Central Africa with a fragile state and weak governance structures. Furthermore, until recently, MNEs and NGOs in conflict countries had antagonistic relationships, which has created impediments for positive engagement. This article examines MNEs and conflict issues, including interactions with NGOs, and sheds light on possible MNE contributions to peaceful societies by highlighting a few innovative partnerships of MNEs and non-business partners in Central Africa. Innovative partnerships take the conflict context into account, have a learning or capacity-building component, are part of a more comprehensive development plan yet are embedded at the community level, and tackle issues directly related to the conflict, such as governance, human rights, artisanal mining and transparency. The article also discusses implications of such activities for the role of the state in fragile contexts

Effects of Vacancies near Substitutional Implants on Trapping and Desorption of Helium - A Simulation

Trapping of He by vacancies and drainage of He from substitutional implants (Ag and Kr in W) to nearby vacancies are investigated using static lattice calculations. The calculations indicate that drainage of He will occur to vacancies within a radius of 2.5 lattice units from the implant. Furthermore the trapping probability of substitutional and interstitial random walkers on a bcc lattice by substitutional traps or vacancies is calculated. When implantation-produced vacancies are present in the vicinity of the observed trap a shielding effect occurs. Trapping constants are calculated with two random walk models for both the unshielded and the shielded defect. For the latter several configurations were taken. The results show that shielding of a defect by one vacancy at a distance of three lattice units leads already to a reduction of He trapping by that defect of 30% to 40%.