The new online database is being launched by the Columbia Centre for Sustainable Investment (CCSI), a research centre on sustainable international investment based at Columbia University.
The OpenLandContracts.org database will contain the details of publicly available investment contracts for large-scale land, agriculture, and forestry projects from around the world. It will allow users to download contracts, as well as view summaries of key social, human rights, environmental, fiscal, and operational provisions. Large-scale land acquisitions can have serious implications for land users and local communities, as well as for host governments’ sustainable development efforts. The contracts that govern these acquisitions affect a range of issues and define the responsibilities of the governments and investors involved. The frequent lack of contract transparency, combined with limited capacity to analyze and compare agreements, can result in a critical knowledge gap. Host governments miss the opportunity to learn from other countries’ experiences. Communities are less able to hold governments and investors accountable. And investors risk entering into deals for land that has already been allocated, imperiling the investment while increasing the potential for social tension and local conflict. When contracts are available in accessible form to the general public, all parties can build a climate of stronger accountability and trust.