Dr Ross Harvey
Dr Ross Harvey is a natural resource economist and policy analyst, and he has been dealing with governance issues in various forms across this sector since 2007. He has a PhD in economics from the University of Cape Town, and his thesis research focused on the political economy of oil and institutional development in Angola and Nigeria. While completing his PhD, Ross worked as a senior researcher on extractive industries and wildlife governance at the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA), and in May 2019 became an independent conservation consultant. Ross’s task at GGA is to establish a non-renewable natural resources project (extractive industries) to ensure that the industry becomes genuinely sustainable and contributes to Africa achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Ross was appointed Director of Research and Programmes at GGA in May 2020.
New fiscal ship required to avoid icy waters

New fiscal ship required to avoid icy waters

Budgets are the single most important signal that a government can send to the market. The prevailing wisdom in international finance is that the optimal signal for governments to send is one of fiscal prudence. In other words, demonstrating discipline with respect to...

The hidden (and not so hidden) injustice of coal

The hidden (and not so hidden) injustice of coal

A new class action lawsuit being brought against Exarro puts the role of coal in our society firmly in the spotlight. Depending on how one measures it at any given time, South Africa depends on coal for over 80 percent (or 42GW) of its electricity needs. The national...

Thinking leftfield to solve democracy dissatisfaction

Thinking leftfield to solve democracy dissatisfaction

Youth unemployment is a significant global concern. It is especially concerning across African economies, given relatively high fertility rates and declining employment prospects. According to the United Nations, Africa will be home to four billion people by 2100. The...

China’s hard landing and the energy revolution dilemma

China’s hard landing and the energy revolution dilemma

The world is awash with talk of net zero, low-carbon growth, and dreams of a circular economy. Renewable energy technology and electric vehicles are at the forefront of such dreams. Desirable and laudable dreams they are too. Realising them, however, will require a...

New BRICS+ bound to hit a wall?

New BRICS+ bound to hit a wall?

On 24 August, coinciding with a controversial election being held in neighbouring Zimbabwe, the latest BRICS summit concluded in Johannesburg. The BRIC acronym was originally coined by Goldman Sachs economist Jim O’Neill in 2001. Original member countries developed a...

Corruption is a cancerous curse 

Corruption is a cancerous curse 

In their excellent 2009 book, Violence and Social Orders, the late Douglass North and his co-authors make a compelling case that, throughout history, the central problem of development is violence. To develop, actors must agree to pool rents and disarm. This only...

The slippery slope

The slippery slope

The University of Cape Town (UCT) is consistently ranked as the top performing tertiary institution on the continent. In the Times Higher Education (THE) rankings released in October 2022, it had climbed to 160th in the world, up from 183rd the previous year. More...

Dr Ross Harvey
Dr Ross Harvey is a natural resource economist and policy analyst, and he has been dealing with governance issues in various forms across this sector since 2007. He has a PhD in economics from the University of Cape Town, and his thesis research focused on the political economy of oil and institutional development in Angola and Nigeria. While completing his PhD, Ross worked as a senior researcher on extractive industries and wildlife governance at the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA), and in May 2019 became an independent conservation consultant. Ross’s task at GGA is to establish a non-renewable natural resources project (extractive industries) to ensure that the industry becomes genuinely sustainable and contributes to Africa achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Ross was appointed Director of Research and Programmes at GGA in May 2020.
The slippery slope

The slippery slope

The University of Cape Town (UCT) is consistently ranked as the top performing tertiary institution on the continent. In the Times Higher Education (THE) rankings released in October 2022, it had climbed to 160th in the world, up from 183rd the previous year. More...