Transforming resource wealth into real benefits for a state’s development (such as poverty reduction and sustainable development) requires access to the very best available knowledge of policy and operational options. The ultimate objective of the Source Book is to meet this demand by providing a concise, comprehensive, and dynamic guide. The focus of the Source Book will center on core EI sector issues.

This source book is primarily an interactive, online, open source compendium of knowledge. It brings together policy and technical notes describing good practices across a variety of country contexts. This is reinforced by examples of regulatory instruments, development toolkits and annotated bibliographies. This online version is regularly updated. Third party comments or contributions are invited and will be posted subject to screening by an independent advisory panel. The hard copy narrative version of the Source Book is intended, when published, as a companion to this electronic version.

The Source Book is based on two fundamental premises. First, successful management of the EI sectors requires that all stages of the value chain, and each of the cross-cutting themes be carefully considered, and viewed as belonging to a whole. Neglect of any one aspect may undermine the chances of success in dealing with another. Second, no one approach will suit all states. As noted, the Source Book is very much a guide to good practice, which will require adjustments to differing state contexts.

Introducing good practice will be easier where EI sector operations are just beginning. In cases where poor sector practices are well-established, reform will be more difficult to achieve in the face of legal and contractual stabilization commitments, sheer bureaucratic inertia, and entrenched interests. That said, opportunities for change do often arise out of changed circumstances, or can be created by stakeholders who have the state’s interest in mind, and would prefer a move to good practice over stable bad practice.