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 Environmental impacts of large-scale
land investments (only 2013)
GRID-Arendal prepared a factsheet82 together with maps
and graphics on the state of large-scale land investments
in Africa. The maps and graphics show countries that are
affected by the large-scale land investments, as well as
the investing countries, including the magnitude of their
investment. From a donor perspective, as well as from
research findings, these investments are a topical issue
in Africa that merits awareness raising. While there is on-
going research on large-scale land acquisitions, especially
on the socio-economic front, there seems to be a paucity
of research on their impacts, such as ‘water grabbing’ for
example. Secondly, much of the research has focused on
land resources while ignoring the equally important water
resources. In addition, land remains an emotive and sen-
sitive issue, which many countries in Africa are not keen
to engage in.
It is for these reasons that GRID-Arendal’s focus is shift-
ing to water resources despite a project proposal having
been compiled on large-scale land acquisitions. Interest
has been expressed by UNEP and the African Ministerial
Conference on Water to partner with GRID-Arendal and
undertake detailed studies on water grabbing in Africa.
Consultations with prospective funders and partners will
be further pursued in 2014.83
 Mapping hydropower potential on the
upper nile (only 2012)
Through an agreement with WWF, GRID-Arendal collabo-
rated with WWF-Uganda in mapping the hydropower po-
tential of Uganda, including preparing interactive visual
tools to demonstrate the local impact of hydropower in-
vestments on the environment and society. GRID-Arendal
and WWF both allocated NOK 200,000 to the project and
critical data were collected through the Uganda Environ-
ment Information Network. Under the project, GRID-
Arendal prepared two printed maps showing the location
of current and planned electricity facilities in Uganda. The
maps, together with additional data layers, are also avail-
able through an online interactive mapping tool using
GeoIQ.84 A team of Ugandan experts were subsequently
trained on how to use and update both the print and on-
line maps.
82.
83. Organizations that have been contacted include Noragric,
Norwegian Research Council, Swiss Development Cooperation,
and the International Institute for Environment and Development.
84.
While there was hope that WWF-Uganda will use the on-
line interactive map to argue for or against investments
in hydropower infrastructure in the country, there are also
fears that the Geo-IQ platform may not be available in the
long-term following its acquisition by ESRI who are keen
to promote the commercial GIS software.
 Environment and crime (only 2013)
Transnational organized environmental crime involves
five key areas: i) Illegal logging and deforestation; ii) Illegal
fisheries; iii) Illegal mining and trade in minerals including
conflict diamonds; iv) Illegal dumping and trade in haz-
ardous and toxic waste; and v) Illegal trade and poaching
of wildlife and plants. These forms of transnational crime
causes financial losses estimated at USD 90-230 billion
every year, potentially twice as much as global ODA. They
therefore have devastating effects on developing econo-
mies.
In 2013, GRID-Arendal used MFA funds to support the
developing environmental crime programme. Additional
co-funding of over NOK 60 million was secured for the
period 2013-2015 from multiple partners.85
GRID-Arendal, together with the UN Office on Drugs
and Crime (UNODC), was granted NOK 15 million by
NORAD for the three-year project ‘Organised Forest
Crime (ORGFORC) – Combatting Transnational Organ-
ized Forest Crime and Corruption’. The purpose of the
project is to reduce corruption and organized crime as-
sociated with illegal logging, thereby paving the way for
REDD funds and investments to also achieve significant
sustainable development impacts on poverty reduction
and better governance. The Convention on Interna-
tional Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and
Flora (CITES) is also a collaborating partner. In addition,
GRID-Arendal has developed together with INTERPOL a
‘Law Enforcement Assistance to Forests (LEAF)’ project
to support government agencies and INTERPOL in train-
ing frontline police officers, investigators and National
Central Bureaus, as well as supplying information on ille-
gal logging to improve international enforcement opera-
tions. 86 GRID-Arendal assists with information gathering
and research to help inform INTERPOL and collaborat-
ing countries.
85. Other funders include the United Nations Office on Drugs and
Crime (UNODC), INTERPOL, World Customs Organization
(WCO), The United Nations Programme on Reducing Emissions
from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (UN REDD), UNDP,
UNEP and FAO and a range of countries including the USA.
86.
Projects/Project-Leaf