The call for a responsive EITI

The strength of the EITI lies in its ability to adapt and become relevant to each context, enabling countries to focus on what is most necessary to them for good governance. In Colombia’s case for example, what was essential in order for EITI to realise its potential, generate a debate about the use of natural resources and improve the lives of citizens was social-environmental information. While social-environmental information can be included in the EITI in its present form, it is not recommended or suggested. The MSG at the national level sometimes faces difficulties in including social-environmental data because, despite its importance, it is not considered as part of PWYP’s remit.

Civil society around the world, particularly from Latin America, and from both EITI implementing and non- implementing countries, is calling for the disclosure of social-environmental information.

Given the importance of social-environmental data in reducing conflict and helping ascertain the true cost of a project;

Given the need for social-environmental data in order to generate a genuine debate about natural resource management;

Given the fact that environmental payments are payments, and should be counted along with fiscal payments.

We call for the new board to consider, during its mandate:

• The establishment of a working group to explore options to include social- environmental disclosure in the EITI standard or to create strategic partnerships with social-environmental disclosure schemes.

• The establishment of a working group, open to climate change networks, to produce a think piece about the potential that EITI has to contribute to the debate on climate change in the sector.

What is social-environmental data?

Social-environmental information covers a huge range of data. Here are some examples of what we mean when we talk about social-environmental data. We are not calling for all of this data to be included in the EITI Standard, but for countries to be more free to include these items if they wish.

• Payments made by extractive companies to governments that relate to social or environmental data
• Information that covers the approach to potential and realized impacts of extraction. (This information if often legally required to be public but is not always accessible.)
• Information that covers the immediate effects of extraction on the environment and population
• Payments related to climate change