Primary goods make the world go round, and one that makes cars go round is platinum, which is needed in exhaust catalysts. It is a valuable precious metal, and 80 percent of all of the world’s...Show morePrimary goods make the world go round, and one that makes cars go round is platinum, which is needed in exhaust catalysts. It is a valuable precious metal, and 80 percent of all of the world’s platinum can be found in South Africa. Despite this, very few South Africans actually benefit from its lucrative platinum mining sector. In fact, this sector appears to cause more problems for most of the people in mining regions, from bad working conditions to air and water pollution. In this thesis I will argue that the lucrativeness of the platinum mining sector and its many negative externalities are related through the Resource Curse. I hypothesize that the owners of platinum mines will use a specific form of lobbying – cronyism, also known as the ‘revolving door’ – to influence members of the National Assembly of South Africa to adopt policies favorable to the mining sector. My research will focus specifically on the case of the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act of 2002 (MPRDA).Show less
This thesis analyses how Angola and The UAE can utilize renewable energy to limit their dependence toward their fossil fuel sectors. The thesis maps out these countries relative dependene by...Show moreThis thesis analyses how Angola and The UAE can utilize renewable energy to limit their dependence toward their fossil fuel sectors. The thesis maps out these countries relative dependene by utilizing two typologies developed by IRENA. Firstly, the high exposure and low resilience category. These countries are defined as dependent on fossil fuel incomes, which account for more than 20% of GDP, while also lacking the fiscal and political instruments to alter their dependence. Secondly, the high exposure and high resilience category, defined as countries dependent on fossil fuel incomes, which account for more than 20% of GDP, but with the necessary income and capacity to manage the transition. This thesis concludes that the transition towards renewable energy is both an important and necessary tool for countries to limit their dependence on fossil fuels and promote economic diversification. The two case studies outlined highlight an emphatic case of how countries with various financial, as well as institutional and political capacities, can utilize these technologies effectively.Show less
Bolivia has a failed past in terms of generating prosperity through resource abundances. The country held enormous reserves of silver, tin, and natural gas, and is now in possession of half of the...Show moreBolivia has a failed past in terms of generating prosperity through resource abundances. The country held enormous reserves of silver, tin, and natural gas, and is now in possession of half of the world’s supply of lithium, necessary in the fabrication of rechargeable batteries. The assumption is that the world will turn to electric vehicles in the near future, a shift that will increase the demand for Bolivian lithium dramatically. The phenomenon that a country rich in resources suffers from economic distress is called the resource curse. This thesis attempts to delve deep into the underlying causes of past examples of the resource curse in Bolivia, to determine whether there are similarities that can serve as recommendations to the present. Political stability is a prerequisite to avoid the curse, as well as macro-economic policy and diversification in the economic sphere. Bolivia is holding one of the treasures of the 21st century and needs to create the optimum circumstances in which they can extract, produce, and export their lithium in sustainable conditions for sustainable profit.Show less
According to the rational choice theory acting cooperative in collective goods problems is not rational because the benefits of cooperating do not outweigh the costs. The fact that some countries...Show moreAccording to the rational choice theory acting cooperative in collective goods problems is not rational because the benefits of cooperating do not outweigh the costs. The fact that some countries do cooperate in international collective goods problems means that something must be missing from traditional rational choice models. IR theorists have tried to explain how it is possible that some countries do cooperate in collective goods problems while others do not.This research examines oil wealth as an explanation for non cooperative behavior in collective goods problems. This explanation is derived from the realist school of thought. The results of this research show that in two different cases oil wealth is negatively related to cooperative behavior in collective goods problems. Also other explanations from realist, liberalist and constructivist theories have been tested and compared to understand the importance of any of these explanations when explaining state behavior in collective goods problems.Show less
Growing demand or declining availability of water makes distribution decisions based on water scarcity an increasingly acute problem across the globe. In my research, I focused on the question...Show moreGrowing demand or declining availability of water makes distribution decisions based on water scarcity an increasingly acute problem across the globe. In my research, I focused on the question whether water scarcity can lead to conflict. To investigate how water and conflict are connected I used two theories which are the most relevant when dealing with the connection between water and conflict, Water Wars theory and Resource Curse theory. I studied the Darfur conflict case and the Chinese environmental conflict case to find out if water scarcity can lead to conflict.Show less
