Corruption undoubtedly plays a role in degrading nature, undermining conservation efforts, distorting good governance and disrupting communities around the world. Corruption is dynamic – it changes and develops over time and no two situations look exactly alike. There is therefore no single solution. This initiative aims to highlight how rethinking relationships between and across sectors, organisations and geographies could foster strong and collective action and enact systemic change.
Drawing on the ongoing project Targeting Natural Resource Corruption (TNRC), the Luc Hoffmann Institute is partnering with the TNRC project consortium to incubate anti-corruption responses by connecting conservation practitioners with existing corruption expertise from non-conservation sectors. By opening up dialogue and sharing cross-sectoral learning on corruption, its impact on natural resource and conservation outcomes, and what is known about addressing it, this initiative aims to enable conservation policy and programmatic leaders to question, explore and adopt fresh and effective approaches to corruption in global conservation practice.
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This initiative brings together a group of leaders from within conservation and other key sectors to explore how corruption impacts conservation and what conservation practitioners might learn and adopt from other fields that have been testing anti-corruption strategies for decades – fields such as international development, peace-building, infrastructure development and governance. It is envisioned that this process will increase connection and capacity, allowing for new and more effective anti-corruption approaches across conservation and natural resource management.
Who we are working with
Related SDGs
Explore the impacts
Ideation
Rob Parry–Jones, Head of the Wildlife Crime Initiative at WWF International and c/o IUCN Asia Regional Office approaches the Luc Hoffmann Institute to consider a collaboration on a symposium to explore new and more effective approaches around anti-corruption learning.
The institute engages in conversation with peers from Targeting Natural Resources Corruption (TNRC) to incubate anti-corruption responses in conservation and natural resource management by catalysing dialogue and cross-sectoral learning, and fostering new networks.
Incubation
A co-creative and inclusive approach is adopted. The collaboration agrees to explore the variety of ways in which individuals and organisations from diverse sectors are currently framing and acting in response to corruption.
Co-creation is expanded through a virtual Sounding Board meeting, where sixteen individuals are drawn from project partners and other key influencers to define themes, definitions and priorities, and to bring diverse perspectives together as well as highlight other key areas for designing an impactful symposium.
Elizabeth Hart, Chief of Party, Targeting Natural Resource Corruption (TNRC) and Aled Williams, Senior Advisor at U4 Anti-Corruption Resource Center, writes a thought piece exploring how knowledge sharing and new alliances between the conservation and anti-corruption communities have the potential to drive more effective anti-corruption responses for the conservation sector.
Spurring new cross-sectoral connections towards anti-corruption responses in conservation
Laode M. Syarif, Executive Director of Partnership for Governance Reform (KEMITRAAN) in Indonesia and Senior Lecturer at Hasanuddin University, Faculty of Law, writes a thought piece on the impacts of corruption on conservation in Indonesia.
Tackling corruption in the Indonesian natural resources sector
Isis Alvarez, former Livestock Campaign Coordinator and Senior Gender Advisor at the Global Forest Coalition, and Natalia Muñoz Cassolis, Consultant on Illegal Wildlife Trade at WWF and to the Transparent Governance of Natural Resources (TGNR) project, share their thoughts in an interview with the Luc Hoffmann Institute.
Fostering anti-corruption approaches in the Colombian conservation sector
A virtual symposium is held as part of the ‘Exploring Responses to Corruption in Natural Resource Management and Conservation Practice’ initiative. This key milestone in the wider project collaboration brought together thought and action leaders originating from 27 countries to incubate new responses to the impact of corruption on nature and people through shared knowledge and collective action.
Luc Hoffmann Institute collaboration explores anti-corruption responses in conservation
Aspiration
By the end of 2021, participants commit to taking forward the symposium findings, insights and recommendations to influence the strategy and implementation of innovative anti-corruption measures in conservation and natural resource management.
Related resources
Fostering approaches to anti-corruption in the Colombian conservation sector
An October 2021 interview with Isis Alvarez, former Livestock Campaign Coordinator and Senior Gender Advisor at the Global Forest Coalition, and Natalia Muñoz Cassolis, Consultant on Illegal Wildlife Trade at WWF and to the Transparent Governance of Natural Resources (TGNR) project
Tackling corruption in the Indonesian natural resources sector
An October 2021 thought piece by Laode M. Syarif, Executive Director of Partnership for Governance Reform (KEMITRAAN) in Indonesia and Senior Lecturer at Hasanuddin University, Faculty of Law
Spurring new cross-sectoral connections towards anti-corruption responses in conservation
An August 2021 thought piece by Elizabeth Hart, Chief of Party, Targeting Natural Resource Corruption (TNRC), World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and Aled Williams, Senior Advisor at U4 Anti-Corruption Resource Center
CITES Secretariat welcomes the Political Declaration adopted at the United Nations General Assembly Special Session Against Corruption
A June 2021 news item issued by the CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) Secretariat.
Madagascar: Overview of corruption and anti-corruption – Focus on the natural resources sector (especially rosewood, gold and wildlife)
A March 2021 case study by Kaunain Rahman, Research Coordinator at the U4 – Anti-Corruption Resource Centre, CMI.
A Political Ecology Lens for Addressing Corruption in Conservation and Natural Resource Management
A July 2020 TNRC Introductory Overview by Richard Nash, Technical Lead, Governance Practice, World Wildlife Fund.
Corruption and Anti-Corruption in Environmental and Resource Management
A May 2020 annual review by Luca Tacconi and David Aled Williams.
A Guide to Identifying Corruption Risks Along Natural Resource Supply Chains
A December 2019 TNRC Guide.
The environmental cost of corruption
An August 2020 article by Lauri Turpeinen at Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty.
If we truly want to ‘build back better’, we must tackle corruption in the wildlife trade
A March 2021 article by Willow Outhwaite, senior programme officer at TRAFFIC.
The Targeting Natural Resource Corruption (TNRC) project is made possible by the generous support of the American people through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). This content is the responsibility of TNRC, the Luc Hoffmann Institute and initiative partners, and does not necessarily reflect the views of USAID, the United States Government, or individual TNRC consortium members. WWF® and ©1986 Panda Symbol are owned by WWF. All rights reserved.