The Extractive Industries and Foreign Security Network

采掘业和外国安全网络

• 批准号: AH/W00772X/1
• 负责人: Lee McConnell
• 金额: $ 4.46万
• 依托单位: University of Bristol
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Research Grant
• 财政年份: 2022
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2022 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=AH%2FW00772X%2F1
• 关键词: Extractive; Industries; Foreign; Security; Network

This network investigates the adverse human rights impacts emanating from multinational corporations (MNCs) engaged in natural resource extraction, and the security forces of the foreign States in which they operate. It will evaluate whether the UK's legal and policy frameworks establish appropriate accountability mechanisms, provide access to remedies for victims, and ensure effective implementation of international, regional and domestic human rights standards in this context.MNCs domiciled in the Global North have the potential to bring substantial benefits to communities around the globe through foreign direct investment, job creation and infrastructure projects. Yet, those engaged in the extraction of natural resources often contribute to severe human rights impacts, including extreme environmental degradation, dispossession of land, and loss of homes and livelihoods. Tensions between communities and local law enforcement arising from the presence of such companies often erupt into violence, leading to injury and death. Reports of arbitrary/inhumane detention, lack of procedural safeguards and access to fair trials often follow. The network establishes a forum for interdisciplinary, multi-stakeholder collaboration in which the dynamics of these actors are analysed, the social, political, historical, and economic drivers of conflict are explored, and UK legal and policy responses are formulated.The project focuses on the UK's regulatory architecture for several reasons. The parent companies of extractive industries have an extensive presence in the UK and make a significant contribution to its economy. Access to precious minerals found in host states is integral to the successful execution of the UK's decarbonisation policy which aims to end the sale of petrol and diesel cars by 2035 and promote adoption of electric vehicles. UK Parliamentary committees have begun to recognise this as an important issue-area. Yet, the UK is presently out of step with its comparators in the Global North in terms of its willingness to uphold international human rights standards. While recent UK litigation shows promise in terms of holding parent companies to account for harms produced by their subsidiaries, the involvement of foreign police and military personnel adds extra layers of complexity to which English law is ill-equipped to respond.The network's UK-focus will facilitate a rigorous and realistic programme of research from which tangible policy responses can be developed. Moreover, examining the UK's position within a global problematic will demand, rather than preclude, international collaboration. The network will prioritise participation from communities directly affected by the harms that form the project's focus (e.g. Sierra Leone, Nigeria, and Tanzania) by engaging with scholars, practitioners and National Human Rights Institutions in these regions. Additionally, the relevance of international and regional human rights standards will require comparative analysis of their implementation in jurisdictions the world over.The network explores a range of cross-cutting issues in pursuit of its objectives. These include: i) the UK's role in regulating interactions between its companies and the security services of foreign States; ii) the suitability of the UK's existing legal and policy frameworks and the quality of its engagement with relevant international and regional standards; iii) the social, political economic and historical drivers of conflicts; iv) the management of the complex dynamics between host, home, and non-State actors. These matters will be investigated at 3 interdisciplinary, multi-stakeholder workshops hosted by the Universities of Bristol and Durham, with the support of our project partner, Rights and Accountability in Development. The project will lead to the production of a research report, journal article, and a series of policy briefs aimed at influencing the UK's legislative and policy agendas.

该网络调查从事自然资源开采的跨国公司及其经营所在国的安全部队对人权的不利影响。它将评估联合王国的法律的和政策框架是否建立了适当的问责机制，为受害者提供补救途径，并确保在这方面有效执行国际、区域和国内人权标准。在全球北方的跨国公司有潜力通过外国直接投资、创造就业机会和基础设施项目为地球仪各地的社区带来实质性利益。然而，那些从事自然资源开采的人往往造成严重的人权影响，包括极端的环境退化、土地被剥夺以及失去家园和生计。社区与地方执法部门之间因这类公司的存在而产生的紧张关系往往演变成暴力，导致伤亡。关于任意/不人道拘留、缺乏程序保障和获得公平审判的报告经常随之而来。该网络建立了一个跨学科、多利益相关者合作的论坛，分析了这些行为者的动态，探讨了冲突的社会、政治、历史和经济驱动因素，并制定了英国的法律的和政策应对措施。该项目侧重于英国的监管架构，原因有几个。采掘业的母公司在英国拥有广泛的业务，并对其经济做出了重大贡献。获取在东道国发现的贵重矿物是成功执行英国脱碳政策的一部分，该政策旨在到2035年结束汽油和柴油汽车的销售，并促进电动汽车的采用。英国议会委员会已开始认识到这是一个重要的问题领域。然而，就维护国际人权标准的意愿而言，联合王国目前与全球北方的比较国不合拍。尽管最近的英国诉讼显示出让母公司对其子公司造成的损害负责的希望，但外国警察和军事人员的参与增加了额外的复杂性，而英国法律没有能力对此作出回应。该网络以英国为重点，将促进一个严格而现实的研究计划，从中可以制定切实的政策回应。此外，在一个全球性问题中审视英国的地位将需要而不是排除国际合作。该网络将优先考虑直接受项目重点危害影响的社区（如塞拉利昂、尼日利亚和坦桑尼亚）的参与，让这些地区的学者、从业人员和国家人权机构参与进来。此外，国际和区域人权标准的相关性将需要对这些标准在世界各地司法管辖区的执行情况进行比较分析，该网络为实现其目标探讨了一系列交叉问题。其中包括：㈠联合王国在规范其公司与外国安全部门之间互动方面的作用; ㈡联合王国现有法律的和政策框架的适用性及其与相关国际和区域标准接触的质量; ㈢冲突的社会、政治、经济和历史驱动因素; ㈣东道国、母国和非国家行为者之间复杂动态的管理。这些问题将在由布里斯托和达勒姆大学主办的3个跨学科、多利益攸关方讲习班上进行调查，并得到我们的项目合作伙伴“发展中的权利和问责”的支持。该项目将产生一份研究报告、期刊文章和一系列旨在影响联合王国立法和政策议程的政策简报。