About REM

Resource Extraction Monitoring is an organisation specialised in the independent monitoring of law enforcement and natural resources extraction.

Independent monitoring is a systematic audit-style approach which enables good governance of state-owned natural resources and compliance with resource-extraction laws, treaties, and contracts. Founded in 2003 by experts with over 15 years of monitoring experience, REM bridges the gaps between governments, environmental and human rights NGOs and local communities, donors and the private sector by providing objective and timely information on natural resource allocation and use.

REM is not a lobbying organisation and has no political agenda, but we are pro-active in researching and presenting the issues of governance and transparency during project implementation. We recognise that good governance enables citizens to share more equitably in natural resource use whilst protecting those which they prefer to leave off-limits, and that compliance ensures a level playing ground for competing commercial interests.

REM operates as an independent monitor via in-country partnerships with the recipient government, an active and engaged range of donor organisations and the local population. We operate in the field to identify and investigate cases of illegal activity and follow their progress through administrative and judicial systems.

Our approach

REM promotes a constructive approach involving each of the following participants:

Governments

Where appropriate REM works with governments to help them develop monitoring systems for law enforcement, which brings international credibility to efforts undertaken. The transparency required in a working partnership and the recording of any denial of access to information is powerful evidence in and of itself. As always, when working with local officials we believe our work is most effective when we provide our partners with the tools and expertise to help themselves. REM supports improved law enforcement but law enforcement itself remains a function of governments. REM also sees as crucial that ownership of any improvement in law enforcement as well as monitoring processes is built within government.

The International Donor Community

The International Donor Community formulates programmes in partnership with local governments but often lack detailed information on law enforcement and governance. The Resource Extraction Monitoring approach can fill this information gap to help target funding more strategically. Through our monitoring activities REM enables improved governance and transparency and support the achievements of donor programme objectives.

The Private Sector

REM recognises that illegal trading in natural resources leads to the corruption of the level and fairly competitive marketplace and steals revenue not only from the state but from legal commercial interests. The private sector benefits from strong governance because compliance is rendered easier to maintain and companies need not waste money fighting corruption or damaging their market image. REM values the experience of the private sector in dealing with administrative systems and the issues of governance that arise in carrying out their activities.

The Public

Nobody benefits more from good governance than the public. As recent international investigations have demonstrated, states are losing enormous amounts of revenue through illegal extraction of natural resources. Corruption is difficult if not impossible to document and prove. REM's approach provides a systematic documentation of processes in areas where opportunities for corruption arise and provides recommendations to reduce them. The mere presence of an independent monitor often reduces opportunities for corruption. Information is published and helps the public understand the mechanics of corruption so that they can counter it effectively.

NGOs

REM works with NGOs who seek to curtail illegality and human and environmental rights abuses. Often their independent investigations provide crucial data for in-country monitoring; REM works to corroborate the data of all groups working in a given space and to make their findings available to local law enforcement and policy-making officials. Monitoring findings can be used by other NGOs to support calls for improved governance. REM provides GIS training and monitoring techniques to increase local capacity. Where there is political space monitoring should be implemented by local NGOs, however they may need support in the early stages.

Our areas of work

Forests

REM's current expertise is focused on the forest sector. Illegal logging is usually defined as logging in violation of national laws. Although it has mainly been associated with environmental concerns in the past, the large sums of money involved and significant State revenue losses are now widely known and acknowledged as a serious issue. REM's approach focuses on governance, law enforcement and compliance and provides a systematic documentation of where opportunities for corruption arise in the application of procedures and legislation from the field through administration to the judiciary . REM dedicates time to analyse findings, broadly consult and provide recommendations to support the improvement of these systems

Fisheries

Building on its experience in the monitoring of timber, REM is currently looking at applying the REM approach to independent monitoring and its investigation techniques to the monitoring of other natural resources. Whilst the modes of exploitation of other resources differ significantly from that of timber, there are key similarities in lack of governance and transparency within those sectors.

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