PRESENTATION OF RELEXT
Its aim is to disseminate knowledge in the field and promote best legal, technical and managerial practices in the extractive sector, while providing an open forum for debate. In this vein, it draws on the final report of the World Bank’sExtractive Industries Review (EIR ) of January 15, 2004, with the aim of contributing to the strengthening of globalization programs in the social sciences. The magazine also aims to create and bring together the scientific community of experts and professionals in this sector(l’extractivatorium communautaris), around the themes of the extractive industry, as well as disseminating its news on various aspects such as regulations. Finally, the magazine aims to help multinational extractive companies and their host and home governments to better understand global risk and gain a sustainable competitive advantage, and to help local communities to better defend themselves, by helping to disseminate best practices and knowledge around the world. RELEXT is co-published every six months by e. LEXT (the specialized digital publisher belonging to Lextractiv international), which hosts and distributes it on its portal, and LEXISNEXIS.
The sector of research, intellectual production and knowledge through scientific journals may seem saturated, given the high number and diversity of journals, particularly in the social sciences. To the point where one might question the need for a new journal like RELEXT, especially since the extractive industries sector, which is its field of intervention, is already marked by the presence of two international journals: Resources Policy and Extractive industries and sociéty (since 2014). But on closer inspection, RELEXT has a rightful place in this environment, as its originality sets it apart from the two previous magazines and completes, or even fills, the void left behind.
- Originality in magazine type
Whereas the two previous magazines are essentially scientific journals, RELEXT is both a scientific and professional journal, and one of excellence, which is why it will be indexed on the best referencing platforms. This has a number of consequences for editorial policy (such as target audience, usefulness, etc.) and magazine operation, as explained below (see section II.2).
- Original angle of attack or approach
In terms of its angle of attack, the position and originality of RELEXT differs according to the magazine concerned. With regard to Resources PolicyRELEXT, on the other hand, differs from this in that it (RELEXT) is devoted exclusively to the social sciences, with a focus that goes far beyond economics and politics.
As for Extractive Industries and Society magazineWhile it is true that RELEXT is similar to RELEXT in terms of its scientific field (exclusively social sciences) and angle of attack (social, economic and environmental consequences of extraction), it should be noted that RELEXT draws its originality from the extension of this angle of attack (consequences but also health issues, human rights, conflict, governance, transparency or traceability, business ethics (corruption, tax evasion, illicit flows). Indeed, RELEXT aims to analyze all the major issues of contemporary extractive activities exclusively (not past societies, as its predecessor did). But above all, we must rely on our approach or orientation to see its originality, because it must be read from the angle of sustainable development, ecological transition and quality management, as explained in section 2.2 below. This also influences the organization of its sections (see section III.2 below).
- Originality in geographical impact
It’s certainly true that RELEXT is an international journal, like the previous two, with global geographical coverage. However, RELEXT is different in that it focuses primarily on developing countries in Latin America, Africa and Asia, without concentrating exclusively on them. The content on developed countries is also (but not exclusively) somewhat oriented towards the extra-territorial issues of southern countries, as the major objective of RELEXT is to raise the level of extractive governance in these countries characterized by the paradox of extractive abundance. A goal shared by several international organizations, including the World Bank. This justifies reference to the final report of the World Bank’sExtractive Industries Review (EIR) of January 15, 2004, whose recommendations are still relevant today, given their incompleteness on the one hand, and the gaps in their implementation on the other. In this way, the magazine will draw on studies such as those of the American, European or Canadian extractive industries abroad to analyze all the contemporary issues surrounding extraction.
- Original ecological commitment
It seems to us that the two previous magazines are paper and electronic products. This is not the case for RELEXT. In keeping with its commitment to the environment, RELEXT is co-published and distributed online on the distribution platform (http://lextractivinternational.com/RELEXTonline), on a hybrid open access or annual subscription model. In exceptional cases, the paper version can be printed on request. Committed to professionalism and ethical values, RELEXT runs its entire publishing process on an editorial workflow platform.
In addition, the theme of ecological transition, including the decarbonization of fossil fuels, is one of the magazine’s major themes, and features in several aspects in the list of 40 possible dossiers identified. This is not quite the case for the two previous magazines.
- Geopolitical originality: language
The extractive industries sector has so far been dominated by the English language, as was the case for the two previous magazines. RELEXT promoters are working to democratize access to knowledge and research production for a large French-speaking audience worldwide, without neglecting the English-speaking public. RELEXT could thus become a valuable scientific tool for both the Commonwealth and the French-speaking world.
- Technical originality: formats
The two previous magazines are available exclusively in PDF format. In addition to PDF, RELEXT is more modern and offers three other formats, including HTML, ePub and KF8 (amazon) , with the expected added value in terms of reader comfort and autonomy, or even the freedom to choose the format or reading terminal.
- Innovation: the RELEXT Collection
It’s the icing on the cake! RELEXT magazine is simultaneously a collection: the ” Collection RELEXT (digital books) “. This is a monographic collection specializing in the extractive industries (including, of course, fossil fuels), featuring deliverables from research projects, conference proceedings and theses (winners of the Lextractiv call for thesis prizes, every 3 years). There is currently no collection dedicated to the extraction sector. RELEXT fills this gap by identifying itself as the extractive industries collection.
The extractive industries are the most polluting in the world. This contrasts with the ecological transition, in particular the energy transition known as decarbonization. In many countries, such as Africa, collaborative and inter-regional projects are emerging. These collaborative projects on several fronts (infrastructure, public policy, education and vocational training, etc.) should aim to improve the living conditions of their citizens while reducing the impact of the global energy crisis and reconciling these projects with the Paris commitments on global warming, following the new perspectives of COP 26 and COP 27. This does not seem obvious, given the reluctance of many leaders to actually support the ecological transition movement under the pretext of developmentalist issues. But things seem to be getting even more complex with the war in Ukraine and RUSSIA accentuating the global energy crisis and causing tremors in the decarbonization and nationally determined contribution (NDC) movement.
RELEXT uses the United Nations Global Compact project, the African Mining Vision (AMV) and the orientations of COP 26 and COP 27 as its working tool for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for sustainable and socially responsible extractive industries, as supported by the fundamental vision of its founder. This justifies RELEXT’s commitment to Diversity & Inclusion issues (combating discrimination, equal opportunities, promoting diversity and employability).
It may seem paradoxical, but the needs of the energy transition augur a frantic race for rare earths and critical metals. Indeed, the development of renewable energies and technologies such as battery storage, wind turbines, photovoltaic (PV) solar energy and electric vehicles (EVs) is boosting the need for mineral resources as primary inputs(cobalt, lithium, aluminum, copper, nickel, silicon, manganese).
A World Bank study shows that the average quantity of minerals required for a new unit of power generation capacity has risen by 50% worldwide with the increase in the share of renewable energies, originating in China, Russia, Peru, Australia, Chile, Indonesia and the USA. RELEXT intends to provide its readers and contributors with a forum for useful analysis of all the challenges and issues in this highly topical field.
