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Two economic planning documents released at the March meeting of China's National People’s Congress include the term "energy powerhouse" for the first time.
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Much of the world’s attention today is understandably focused on conflict in the Middle East, and the immediate implications for energy markets and global security. But other regions...
Commentary with Zainab Usman • March 28, 2026
The global demand for critical minerals presents Africa with a strategic opportunity for structural economic...
The global demand for critical minerals presents Africa with a strategic opportunity for structural economic transformation. Yet this potential is undermined by deep social and ecological externalities that mirror historical patterns of extraction. This study examines the disconnect between continental governance frameworks and the lived realities of resource extraction, investigating how “top-down” industrial policies often marginalize local communities and the artisanal sector. Employing a multi-method qualitative approach, the research integrates a comparative analysis of mining impacts in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Zimbabwe, and Zambia with primary stakeholder interviews along the cobalt value chain. The findings reveal systemic governance failures that perpetuate exclusion, environmental degradation, and limited value addition. In response, the study proposes a Six-Pillar Governance Framework encompassing economic diversification, environmental stewardship, inclusive development, international reciprocity, just energy transitions, and peacebuilding. Unlike other policy models, this framework is empirically derived from documented implementation gaps in African mining contexts. By aligning localized priorities with international standards such as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the African Mining Vision (AMV), the study argues that a truly just transition requires governance systems that are inclusive, participatory, and grounded in the lived experience of extraction.
This report explores how residents of North Lawndale, a predominantly Black and historically under-resourced neighborhood on Chicago’s West Side, experience the compounded effects of heat waves and power outages.
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Commentary with Zainab Usman • March 28, 2026