Origin and Mission
Deeply rooted in Madagascar, RESOLVE, was established in 2001 to provide technical advice and services to public and private organisations working in the fields of environment and sustainable development in Madagascar and beyond.
RESOLVE’s mission is to assist international development organisations, bilateral donors, government agencies, international NGOs, public and private sector clients, and community-based organisations in addressing the challenges of sustainable development in the global South.
Making Development Sustainable
RESOLVE collaborates with international development organizations, bilateral donors, government agencies, international NGOs, public and private sector clients, and community-based organizations to tackle the multifaceted challenges associated with sustainable development.
Our Philosophy
Our philosophy at RESOLVE transcends conventional multidisciplinary approaches, embracing a holistic perspective to tackle the complexities of sustainable development. With “RESOLVE” as our name as well as our guiding principle, we embody clarity in analysis, innovation in problem-solving, and steadfast determination to overcome these challenges.
Core Business Areas
The foundation of our expertise is the combination of natural sciences and law. RESOLVE has experience in the following principal areas:
- Institutional, legal, and policy analysis
- Private sector development in sustainable natural resources utilisation
- Integrated coastal zone management (ICZM)
- Community-based and decentralised management of natural resources
- Protected area design, planning, management and evaluation (marine and terrestrial)
- Natural capital and ecosystem services valuation
- Fisheries management (small to large scale)
- Marine biodiversity and resources assessment
- Environmental and social impact assessment and safeguards
- Marine ecosystem assessment
- Carbon accounting, emissions and sequestration evaluation
- Responsible small and large-scale mining and minerals sourcing
Years of Experience
RESOLVE has operated continuously in Madagascar since 2002. RESOLVE’s core staff and team of senior consultants have many years of combined experience in environment and development in Madagascar.
Services
Blue Economy and Natural Capital: RESOLVE was one of the first firms to focus in the areas of blue economy and natural capital. Projects have included the assessment of Madagascar’s shrimp fishery, studies on ‘forest-smart’ mining, an economic valuation of Madagascar’s protected area network, a marine diagnostic for the Menabe coastal region, several projects relating to fisheries and marine protected areas, and an economic evaluation of Madagascar’s coastal seascapes for the World Bank.
Environmental and Social Assessment (EIES) and Monitoring: RESOLVE coordinates or contributes to environmental and social impact assessments in the mining, oil, fisheries, agriculture, and tourism sectors. It has a particular strength in identifying relevant scientific information on the environment, and providing objective, science-based assessments of project impacts on biodiversity and the environment.
Environmental Research: RESOLVE undertakes environmental research, including biodiversity surveys, natural resource assessments (fishing and forestry), commercial species survey, ecotourism studies, marine biodiversity research, environmental law research and technical literature reviews.
Natural Resource Management and Conservation Planning: RESOLVE has experience in planning natural resource management in fisheries, aquaculture and forestry. Resolve has contributed to conservation planning in Madagascar, particularly in the development of marine protected areas and protected wetlands.
Environmental Policy and Legislation: RESOLVE staff have contributed to the development of national policies and legislation relating to development planning, environmental impact assessment, small and large-scale mining, rural and environmental development, community-based natural resource management, fisheries governance, coastal area management, marine protected areas and wetlands, agricultural extension and other issues.
Training, Mediation and Facilitation: RESOLVE staff have extensive experience in training, mediation and facilitation, including training in natural resource management (fisheries, forestry, aquaculture, agriculture, marine protected areas, coastal management, EIA), mediation of environmental and other disputes, land tenure negotiation, and facilitating regional, national and international workshops.
Technical Publications: RESOLVE has coordinated or assisted in the writing, editing, production and publication of several environmental management books and guides.
Partner Organizations: Through its network of partners, Resolve has access to leading capabilities in environmental economics, regional planning, rural development, landscape and erosion control, law, communication, GIS and statistical analysis.
Clientele
Resolve serves a variety of clients in the public and private sectors, including bilateral and multilateral donors, international development institutions, international conservation organizations, government agencies and community-based organizations. Members of our team have worked for or with the following organizations:
International Agencies:
- World Bank (Madagascar coastal seascape evaluation, Environment/Rural Development Sector Review, Madagascar; Benin Coastal Wetlands Project)
- IFC (natural capital and tourism assessment of the Atsimo-Andrefana region SW Madagascar
- USAID (marine diagnostic analysis of the Menabe coastal region, analysis of environmental threats and opportunities in Madagascar, to guide strategic planning for USAID 2003-2008)
- Inter Cooperation Suisse (Madagascar SAHA programme) – assessing alignment between decentralisation of government and the decentralisation of natural resources management
- UNDP (Madagascar program) – planning and management of cage-based fish farming in the Alatora-Mangroro region
Private Sector Clients:
Various private sector clients, including mining, oil, fishing and aquaculture, agri-business and ecotourism companies.
A Selection of Our Previous Public Assignments
- USAID/Hay Tao – Madagascar (in partnership with INSUCO)
- Center for Blue Economy, Portsmouth UK (BRLI/World Bank)
- WWF – SWIO region
- FC (International Finance Corporation) of the World Bank – Madagascar
- UGP-SWIOFish2 / Ministry of Fisheries and Fisheries Resources (MRHP) / World Bank Madagascar Assessment of five priority fish stocks with training in stock evaluation.
- LEVIN SOURCES Ltd / World Bank Madagascar
- WCS-BIOTOPE-FOREST TRENDS (Project COMBO)/ AFD-FFEM-MAVA Madagascar
- WWF MWIOPO Madagascar
- BIOTOPE Madagasikara and GAIA Madagascar
- WWF MWIOPO Toliara, Madagascar
- ARTELIA – TGS Madagascar
- WWF Madagascar
- Madagascar National Parks
- Wildlife Conservation Society / World Bank Madagascar
- Office Nationale de l’Environnement (ONE) Madagascar
- SOGREAH MAGELIS
- Sterling Petroleum, UK Madagascar
- ENERMAD Madagascar
- ROC OIL Madagascar
- EXXON MOBIL Madagascar
- Oceanic Développement (Projet Zones d’Aménagement Concerté) Madagascar
- Inter Coopération Suisse – Programme SAHA Madagascar
- Ministère de l’Environnement, des Eaux et Forêts Madagascar
- PNUD (Programme des Nations Unis pour le Développement) Madagascar
- Ministère de l’Environnement, des Eaux et Forêts. – Ministère de l’Agriculture, de l’Elevage et de la Pêche de l’Agriculture – Réseau intersectoriel du transfert de gestion des ressources naturelles renouvelables (r-TGRNR) Madagascar Ambassade de la France a Madagascar
- WCS (Wildlife Conservation Society)
- Madagascar
- Gap analysis of law and policy on environmental and social safeguards for blue infrastructure development and industries in the coastal zone (North Mozambique Channel project)
- Road map for integrating the mitigation hierarchy and Biodiversity Net Gain / No Net Loss (BNG/NNL) into investments in blue infrastructure and coastal industries (North Mozambique Channel project)
Photo: Rob (CC BY-SA)