Summary / Synopsis
Stop Paying the Polluters
[Connie Hedegaard, 05/04/2013]
Stop Paying the Polluters Connie Hedegaard is EU Commissioner for Climate Action. Suite
Sovereign Environmental Risk
[Achim Steiner, 27/10/2012]
Sovereign Environmental Risk Achim Steiner est le directeur exécutif du Programme des Nations Unies pour l'Environnement (PNUE). Auparavant, il a exercé de hautes fonctions à la Commission mondiale des barrages puis à l'Union... Suite
Vers la conférence environnementale …
[Greenpeace, 22/08/2012]
Vers la conférence environnementale … Greenpeace is an international NGO focused on the defence of the environment, created in 1971. This association is present and active in 40 countries. Nowadays it counts nearly 3 million members all... Suite
From Resource Curse to Blessing
[Joseph E. Stiglitz, 06/08/2012]
From Resource Curse to Blessing Joseph Eugene Stiglitz a reçu le prix Nobel d’économie en 2003. Il a travaillé pendant des années à la Banque mondiale. Il est aussi connu pour ses ouvragest : Quand le capitalisme perd la tête et La... Suite
Rio+20: Nous sommes moins forts que nous le croyions
[Olivier Blond, 21/06/2012]
Rio+20: Nous sommes moins forts que nous le croyions The chief editor of GoodPlanet Info’s website created Le Courrier International’s green page and took part in the creation of the TV programme Vu du Ciel on the French television channel, France2.... Suite
Rio+20: Towards Millennium Goals for the Environment?
[Olivier Blond, 15/06/2012]
Rio+20: Towards Millennium Goals for the Environment? The chief editor of GoodPlanet Info’s website created Le Courrier International’s green page and took part in the creation of the TV programme Vu du Ciel on the French television channel, France2.... Suite
Rio+20 : We need all jobs to become greener
[Simon Upton, 30/05/2012]
Rio+20 : We need all jobs to become greener Between 1981 and 2000, Simon Upton was New Zealand’s Minister for the Environment, Minister of Research, Science and Technology and Minister of Health. He is now the Director of the OECD Environment... Suite
Hissons le pavillon noir
[Olivier Blond, 18/05/2012]
Hissons le pavillon noir The chief editor of GoodPlanet Info’s website created Le Courrier International’s green page and took part in the creation of the TV programme Vu du Ciel on the French television channel, France2.... Suite
Don’t Blame it on Rio
[Michel Rocard, 22/02/2012]
Don’t Blame it on Rio Michel Rocard, former Prime Minister of France and a former leader of the Socialist Party, is a member of the European Parliament. Suite
Vers une gouvernance mondiale de l’eau pour sortir de la spirale de l’échec
[Emmanuel Poilane, 29/02/2012]
Vers une gouvernance mondiale de l’eau pour sortir de la spirale de l’échec Après des études d’expertise comptable, Emmanuel a passé 17 années sur le terrain du développement dans 6 pays africains en tant que volontaire, coordinateur puis responsable de programmes pour... Suite
Endorse the Nuclear Test Ban
[Patricia Espinosa Cantellano, 13/12/2011]
Endorse the Nuclear Test Ban Patricia Espinosa Cantellano is Foreign Minister of Mexico. Suite
Greening the European Investment Bank
[Manana Kochladze, 23/12/2011]
Greening the European Investment Bank Manana Kochladze is a campaigner at CEE Bankwatch Network, an NGO that monitors international financial institutions active in Central and Eastern Europe. She is the winner of the 2004 Goldman... Suite
Durban : l'Union européenne a-t-elle signé la défaite du climat ?
[Maxime Combes, 10/12/2001]
Durban : l'Union européenne a-t-elle signé la défaite du climat ? Economiste de formation, Maxime Combes est membre de l'Aitec et d'Attac et est engagé dans le cadre du projet Echo des Alternatives Suite
2012 : la révolution de l'énergie
[Arnaud Gossement, 19/09/2001]
2012 : la révolution de l'énergie Arnaud Gossement is a lawyer at the Paris Bar for environmental law and energy. He has a PhD in Law from Paris I University Panthéon-Sorbonne and he is a lecturer at Sciences Po Paris. He has also... Suite
A French Cure for the Resource Curse
[George Soros, 15/06/2011]
A French Cure for the Resource Curse George Soros is Chairman of Soros Fund Management and of the Open Society Institute. Photo : © AFP PHOTO / ERIC PIERMONT Suite
Climate change measures must be made corruption proof
[Transparency International, 30/04/2011]
Climate change measures must be made corruption proof Fondée en 1993 et présente dans 80 pays, Transparency International est une ONG qui lutte contre la corruption. Suite
The Meaning of Chernobyl
[Yuliya Tymoshenko, 26/04/2011]
The Meaning of Chernobyl Yuliya Tymoshenko was Prime Minister of Ukraine and is now leader of the opposition. © AFP PHOTO /POOL Suite
L’oligarchie est responsable de la crise écologique
[Hervé Kempf, 14/02/2011]
L’oligarchie est responsable de la crise écologique Journaliste et éditorialliste au Monde, Hervé Kempf écrit sur les enjeux écologiques. Hervé Kempf vient de publier L’oligarchie ça suffit, vive la démocratie (Seuil), qui prolonge sur le plan de... Suite
Il est temps de débattre démocratiquement de l'avenir énergétique de notre pays
[Yann Arthus-Bertrand, 18/03/2011]
Il est temps de débattre démocratiquement de l'avenir énergétique de notre pays Yann Arthus-Bertrand is a famous photographer. He has always had a passion for the animal world and the natural environment. In 1991 he founded Altitude, the world’s first aerial photography agency... Suite
The Dirt on nuclear Power
[Benjamin Benjamin Sovacool, 16/03/2011]
The Dirt on nuclear Power Benjamin K. Sovacool, a professor at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore, is the author of Contesting the Future of Nuclear Power and co-author of the... Suite
Civil society challenges for 2011
[William Bourdon, 05/01/2010]
Civil society challenges for 2011 William Bourdon exerce la profession d'avocat. Sa spécialité : la défense des droits de l'homme. Il a créé en 2001 l'association SHERPA qui défend les victimes de crimes commis par des opérateurs... Suite
Cancun : a Mexican success
[Olivier Blond, 11/12/2010]
Cancun : a Mexican success The chief editor of GoodPlanet Info’s website created Le Courrier International’s green page and took part in the creation of the TV programme Vu du Ciel on the French television channel, France2.... Suite
The abuse of human rights aboard illegal fishing vessels
[Environmental Justice Foundation, 30/06/2010]
The abuse of human rights aboard illegal fishing vessels Environmental Justice Foundation est une ONG britannique fondée en 2000. Elle milite pour une plus grande justice écologiste car de l'état de l'environnement dépend la vie de millions de personnes.... Suite
About green crime
[Laurent Neyret, 14/08/2010]
About green crime Laurent Neyret, Law Lecturer at Versailles Saint-Quentin University Suite
Russia is Burning
[Yevgenia Albats, 10/08/2010]
Russia is Burning Yevgenia Albats is Professor of Political Science at The Higher School of Economics and Editor of The New Times Magazine. Suite
Activism is not a crime
[Dirk Voorhoof, 21/06/2010]
Activism is not a crime Professeur à l'Université de Gand, où il enseigne les cours de droit des médias, de droit d’auteur et de déontologie journalistique. Il dispense également le cours de droit des médias à l’Université... Suite
The problem is that we only worry about animals we find cute. I defend them all.
[Antoine F. Goetschel, 01/07/2010]
The problem is that we only worry about animals we find cute. I defend them all. Antoine F. Goetschel is a laywer who specializes in animal rights. Suite
Grenelle : Peut mieux faire…
[Sandrine Mathy, 01/06/2010]
Grenelle : Peut mieux faire… Diplômée de l’École nationale supérieure des techniques avancées de Paris puis de l’École des hautes études en sciences sociales en sciences économiques, Sandrine Mathy débute sa carrière au Centre... Suite
The Grenelle is better than nothing !
[Serge Orru, 16/05/2010]
The Grenelle is better than nothing ! Serge Orru est le directeur général du WWF France.Photo : © AFP PHOTO FRANK PERRY Suite
As China’s Pollution Toll Grows, Protesters and Media Push Back
[Fred Pearce, 18/03/2010]
As China’s Pollution Toll Grows, Protesters and Media Push Back Fred Pearce is journalist specialized in the environment and development. He was born in the United Kingdom and studied geography in the University of Cambridge. His latest book is When the Rivers... Suite
Climate change’s secret weapon
[Khadija Sharife is a South African journalist. She is also an activist and a scholar at the Centre for Civil Society (CCS) at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa and a contributing author to the Tax Justice Network., 27/02/2010]
Climate change’s secret weapon Khadija Sharife is a South African journalist. She is also an activist and a scholar at the Centre for Civil Society (CCS) at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa and a contributing author... Suite
Copenhagen: Seattle Grows Up
[Naomi Klein, 13/11/2009]
Copenhagen: Seattle Grows Up Figure du militantisme altermondialiste et surtout anticapitaliste depuis la sortie de No Logo en 2000, Naomi Klein est une journaliste engagée. Elle concentre son travail sur les dérives du... Suite
Green Intelligence: Toward True Ecological Transparency
[Daniel Goleman, 15/09/2009]
Green Intelligence: Toward True Ecological Transparency Daniel Goleman est un psychologue américain né en 1946, Diplômé de Harvard en psychologie clinique et développement personnel, il a publié en 2009 aux Etats-Unis Ecological Intelligence: How Knowing... Suite
The fight against the superstores is a struggle for democracy
[George Monbiot, The guardian, 10/08/2009]
The fight against the superstores is a struggle for democracy George Monbiot is a well-known investigation reporter and columnist for the British newspaper “The Guardian” as well as a member of the BBC Wildlife magazine’s advisory board. He is also the author... Suite
Changing man's relationship to nature is only a start
[Edgar Morin, 22/06/2009]
Changing man's relationship to nature is only a start Edgar Morin is a sociologist and a philosopher. He is the author of “Pour entrer dans le XXIe” (Entering the XXIst century) (Seuil, 2004) Suite
This is what denial does
[George Monbiot, 14/10/2008]
This is what denial does George Monbiot is a well-known investigation reporter and columnist for the British newspaper “The Guardian” as well as a member of the BBC Wildlife magazine’s advisory board. He is also the author... Suite
Corruption and democracy : threats to development and possibilities of reform : Corruption, liberation, democratisation
[Michael Johnston, 06/06/2000]
Corruption and democracy : threats to development and possibilities of reform : Corruption, liberation, democratisation Michael Johnston is a Professor of Political Science and former head of Social Sciences at Colgate University in Hamilton, New York. He has studied political and administrative corruption since 1975,... Suite
Reliability of Corruption Indicators and Development Aid
[L'Institut de recherche pour le développement (IRD), 12/02/2007]
Reliability of Corruption Indicators and Development Aid L'Institut de recherche pour le développement (Research Institute for development) is a French public organization, which is dependent on the Ministries of Research and Cooperation. Its mission is to... Suite
Back to Basics—10 Myths About Governance and Corruption
[Daniel Kaufmann, 11/09/2005]
Back to Basics—10 Myths About Governance and Corruption Daniel Kaufmann is the Director of Global Programs at the World Bank Institute (WBI) where he oversees the governance and knowledge agenda. Regarded as a leading expert, researcher, and adviser on... Suite
Governance Matters VI: Governance Indicators for 1996-2006
[Daniel Kaufmann, 07/07/2007]
Governance Matters VI: Governance Indicators for 1996-2006 Daniel Kaufmann is the Director of Global Programs at the World Bank Institute (WBI) where he oversees the governance and knowledge agenda. Regarded as a leading expert, researcher, and adviser on... Suite

The concepts of corruption, democracy, and development have sometimes remained separate but the notion of governance tends to bring them together. Thus, the study of the relationships between corruption, democracy, and development is fundamentally linked to that of governance.

The first difficulty lies in defining and measuring governance. With the rest of his team at the World Bank, Chilean researcher Daniel Kaufman has devoted a large part of his work to developing a series of indicators to measure the scope of governance as early as 1996. These indicators assess the state of governance in 212 countries and are developed based on hundreds of variables developed by dozens of organizations. The sets of indicators that were developed are the following: “Voice and Responsibility,” “Political Stability and Absence of Violence,” “Government Effectiveness,” “Regulatory Quality,” Rule of Law,” and “Control of Corruption.” Daniel Kaufmann has since devoted his effots to exploring the relationship between governance and development, and examining the generally accepted ideas on the subject.

That being said, some studies, such as the one conducted by DIAL (Développement, Institutions et Analyses de Long terme) and the IRD (Institute for Research and Development), warn against using these indicators blindly. According to the IRD, such indicators, developed by experts, would not sufficiently define the problems of corruption and largely overestimate them, particularly for the purpose of distributing government aid for development. Yet, when IRD economists compared the results of surveys simultaneously conducted in 8 countries in Africa among the general population on one hand, and among experts on the other, the results showed that the latter do not have an accurate understanding of the true extent of corruption.

Economic approaches, like that of Michael Johnston (whose work on corruption is extremely complete), prove that strategies to fight corruption can only be effective when they are incorporated in solid economic and institutional development.