Charter

IASSA EXTRACTIVE INDUSTRIES WORKING GROUP (EIWG)

The IASSA Extractive Industries Working Group (EIWG) conducted its first open meeting on 25th August 2008 at the ICASS VI in Nuuk, Greenland. After further email discussion among participants and with the IASSA Council, the following charter was agreed by the group, defining the functions of the working group and the ethics by which the group will be governed and guided. The charter and its ethics were reviewed, changed an approved by the IASSA council during its meeting in Roskilde on June 3, 2010.

Terms of reference
• In accordance with the IASSA general assembly’s mandate and the IASSA council, the group accepts as an official name Extractive Industries Working Group (EIWG).
• The group consists of a core of members present at the first meeting, all of which are IASSA members. However, the group is open for new members, who are encouraged but not obliged to become IASSA members simultaneously
• The working group refers to ‘extractive industry’ as any industrial activity with possibly significant footprint and relevance for inhabitants of the North, where resources are extracted from the land. This includes oil & gas development, mining, and also hydropower.
• The regional scope of the Working Group is ‘the North’, broadly defined along the lines of the expertise of IASSA members

Proposed Goals of the Working Group

• To become a ‘think tank’ of cutting edge research and information on all social aspects of extractive industry activity in the North
• To contribute social science expertise to public documents, guidelines and legislation on extractive industry activity in the North
• To process and channel requests by intergovernmental organisations, indigenous people’s organisations, industry, NGO’s and states on topics relating to extractive industry activity in the North
• To develop initiatives for making social science expertise matter, to apply academic insights in extractive industry projects


Proposed Functions of the Working Group:

1. Network of IASSA members conducting research relevant to extractive industries in the Arctic, and for members interested in the topic;

2. Clearing house of information relating to extractive industries in the Arctic, including:

a. social science research (IASSA members and others);
b. initiatives and materials from industry, civil society organisations, government departments; etc.;
c. exchange of relevant experience of members, including engagement with industry, NGOs, IGOs, managing industry funding, ethical questions, etc.;
d. information about relevant meetings, e-lists, etc.

3. Catalyst of meetings and research activities, including:

a. Supporting or encouraging working group meetings, e.g. alongside other meetings, to bring together members and discuss relevant topics;
b. Supporting funding proposals – e.g. by encouraging collaboration between members, disseminating information on funding sources, engaging with potential funders, etc.;
c. Identifying research needs and gaps;
d. Facilitating information flow of “sub-groups” within the working group, e.g., collaborative research teams;
e. Acting as a conduit for invitations and requests for research work and participation in relevant events

4. Forum for engagement with external organisations, e.g. with industry associations, governmental and quasi-governmental structures, civil society organisations and programmes. This may include making official proposals or suggestions to external bodies or commenting on international programmes and policy developments.


Disclaimer: while the charter and ethics of EIWG were approved by the IASSA council, views and opinions stated in this document as well as expressed by individual members DO NOT reflect the views of IASSA as an association of scientists.