"Land and resource investment consultations in the time of COVID-19: The hazards of pressing on" 

Communities in countries as diverse as the Philippines, Liberia, and Colombia are experiencing increased pressures on their lands and resources. Pressure is coming from governments desperate for future economic drivers once the COVID-19 crisis subsides. Companies and connected elites are also seeking to forge ahead with investments on community lands or even take advantage of the pandemic to avoid the usual authorization requirements.

Meaningful community consultations - a crucial step in investment planning - will often be impossible to achieve during lockdowns. Where the crisis stops communities from safely having a say about any proposed investments that will affect them, governments should halt authorization processes. Public and private actors that force action on investments during the pandemic may find resistance, conflict and operational risk instead of economic relief...

Companies that try to force through community consultation processes during the global pandemic may be stacking their books with liabilities. Research continues to reveal the costs and operational risks to companies whose failure to take community engagement seriously causes local conflicts. Mining companies continuing operations are experiencing strong community resistance, which can quickly erode local officials’ support for the project. They may also risk future liability for exposing employees to unnecessary risks or breaching quarantine laws...“Pressing on” without regard for the safety and rights of community members is self-defeating. Lapses in transparency and inclusiveness will only serve the interests of well-positioned elites—not those of the country, affected communities, or even proponent companies in the medium to long term.