Advancing Land-based Investment Governance (ALIGN)
Project Duration: August 2020 to March 2025
What is ALIGN?
CCSI, IIED, and Namati are partnering on an initiative called Advancing Land-based Investment Governance (ALIGN) to support governments, civil society, communities and peoples, and other relevant actors in strengthening the governance of land-based investments (including investments in agriculture, renewable energy, forestry, and extractive industries).
Recognizing that more and better private sector investment is widely seen as critical to advancing economic development and achieving the SDGs in low- and middle-income countries, the ALIGN initiative responds to concerns that land-based investments sometimes also contribute to dispossession, environmental degradation, and conflict. ALIGN activities are currently under way in multiple countries across Sub-Saharan Africa and the Asia-Pacific.
Download our information flyer about ALIGN (English | français).
What Work is the ALIGN Initiative Doing?
The ALIGN initiative involves three core activities:
· Sustained, in-depth work in up to three countries, aimed at supporting policy development and implementation, legal empowerment, and dialogue between actors, both at the national level and at selected sites. This activity is already under way in Sierra Leone and Zambia. Work is expected to commence in a final country in 2023.
· Technical support to governments, civil society, communities and peoples, and other relevant actors. Technical support instances last for up to six months. Technical support activities completed and currently underway have included trainings, support for improved policy development and implementation, legal empowerment, and facilitation of dialogue between actors.
· Developing and disseminating knowledge products which respond to key challenges in land-based investment, in order to enhance understanding and improve practices among key actors, both globally and in specific targeted contexts. Themes explored include climate change, political economy, and improved private sector performance.
Partner organizations to enhance execution of ALIGN related work have been and will continue to be identified during project implementation.
See this short video for an overview of ALIGN’s approach, the sustainable development challenges the initiative aims to address, and ALIGN’s vision for improved land-based investment governance.
ALIGN Technical Support
Considering requesting technical support from ALIGN? Read about ALIGN’s thematic expertise areas, forms of technical support offered, and methods of engagement with government and with civil society here:
ALIGN Technical Support to Government (English | français)
ALIGN Technical Support to civil society organizations (English | français)
Publications from ALIGN:
Submissions from ALIGN
- To achieve ALIGN goals around Integrating Respect for Human Rights in Private Sector Climate and Nature Initiatives, CCSI submitted comments to the World Benchmarking Alliance’s Draft Methodology for their Nature and Biodiversity Benchmark. The final Nature Benchmark Methodology incorporated many of CCSI’s suggestions.
- To support a just transition in the emerging green hydrogen sector, CCSI submitted comments to the draft version of a guidance from the Green Hydrogen Organization, which were incorporated into their final Green Hydrogen Contracting Guidance on Land Acquisition and Use.
More from ALIGN
- Respecting the rights of Indigenous Peoples and local communities can advance the energy transition
- Renewables projects must respect Indigenous Peoples and local communities. Here's how
- Sam Szoke-Burke's interview with Sheila Khama on extractives and community relations
- A Just Transition for Communities: Can Wind and Solar Projects Turn Human Rights Lessons into Leadership?
- Renewable energy sector’s community-level human rights risks
- Investment Governance in Cambodia: A Window of Opportunity
- Secure Land Rights Are Now More Important than Ever
ALIGN is funded by UK Aid from the UK Government.