Chapter 3: The Role of Governance

An abundance of natural resources does not necessarily translate into wealth for the poor. To make nature a source of prosperity for poor communities requires supportive governance conditions: policies and laws that protect the rights of the poor, coupled with responsive institutions that promote their interests. Without these, the presence of high-value resources like timber, gold, diamonds, or oil can actually be detrimental to poor communities, providing a target for exploitation by outside business interests and politicians. Too often, the result is that most of the revenues are appropriated by others, leaving the community