John Ruggie’s framework, together with his new draft ‘guiding principles’, adds much needed clarity to companies’ human rights responsibilities, writes Edward Bickham

Reports of growing tension around Exxon’s PNG LNG project suggest further efforts may be needed to prevent the project contributing to an escalation in conflict

Oxford professor & Critical Resource senior advisory panel member on how development opportunities from resources can be better captured

Developing the Tonkolili iron-ore project in Sierra Leone will not be plain sailing from a socio-political perspective: to what extent have African Minerals shareholders recognised this?

A new US law to purge supply chains of conflict minerals may only scratch the surface of the problem

The director of Critical Resource on the day the Chilean miners finally emerge from their underground ordeal.

Charles Emmerson cautions firms developing Arctic resources to understand political risks and ‘live best practice’

There’s a commonsense cure for ‘dysfunctional’ energy governance in the US, argues this book. But do commonsense cures and public policy mix?

Despite years of controversy, Vedanta has sought to push ahead with its bauxite mine in India. It now faces a potentially fatal new obstacle.

New US legislation may be about to transform reporting for extractive companies around the world – even in Iraq

The former head of Amnesty International argues binding human rights regulations are needed to convert corporate “bad guys”

Shale gas projects have already raised concerns over their environmental impacts. The current oil spill could make them harder to develop

Supporting good governance can help companies profit over the long-term, as Critical Resource’s contribution to the EITI blog argues

Do oil companies’ CSR efforts get even close to tackling the challenges associated with the industry? A new book takes a pessimistic view

Bennett Freeman, head of sustainability research at Calvert, a leading US SRI fund manager, discusses critical issues facing extractive firms

A review of our past bulletin articles demonstrates that the LicenseSecure model can significantly strengthen foresight of socio-political risks

Kosmos’ $4 billion sale of a stake in an oilfield in Ghana to Exxon has hit a political roadblock, indicating that stakeholder (not just drilling) skills are required to profit from West African oil.

ICMM’s new global initiative – developed with Critical Resource support – aims to help enhance the socio-economic contribution of mining

British oil exploration off the disputed islands in the South Atlantic is stoking UK-Argentine tensions. Daniel Litvin comments

Critical Resource has reviewed its LicenseSecure™ methodology to ensure it incorporates the core elements of key global sustainability standards

Somit Varma heads the World Bank Group’s fiercely-debated energy, mining and chemicals work. Critical Resource catches up with him.

Even if GCM, the UK-listed miner, can regain government approval for its giant coal project, opponents may still threaten its prospects & profitability