Natural Resource Governance and Energy Transition: Policies and Practice

Course objectives: 

Natural resource extraction can create both opportunities and challenges to sustainable development and poverty reduction. This course provides insights into the political economy of governance in resource-rich states and explores options for policy and practice. Participants learn approaches to analyse energy transition challenges and hands-on tools in the areas of taxation, revenue management and local value creation. These skills are paramount to leaders in natural resource governance who need to translate transition challenges into opportunities in their specific country contexts and understand the impact of politics and power on policy outcomes.

Key topics:

• Energy transition related challenges for extractive sectors
• Political economy of natural resource extraction
• Fiscal regimes, taxation, revenue management
• Environmental impacts of extraction
• Community engagement and local value creation
• Governance of state-​owned companies

Duration: 15.05.-13.06.2025 (online) and 30.06.-05.07.2025 (in person, Zurich)

Teaching format: Online and in person

ECTS points: 4

Exam: Written assignment completed during the course

Course fee: CHF 3000 

Participants: Leaders from government, civil society, parliaments, media, international development agencies, and the private sector, as well as academics, researchers, and analysts.

Lecturers:

• Dr Fritz Brugger, NADEL
• Felicitas Fischer, NADEL
• Experts from NRGI and other organisations

Offered in collaboration with the Natural Resource Governance Institute (NRGI)

For more information please visit nadel.ethz.ch

Registration period: 13.01. - 09.02.2025 (special admission procedure)

Photo credit: Fairphone for Creative Commons