Gustav is a research, data, and management specialist with a solid background in international relations, international trade governance, and international development management. His role at The Impact Facility centres on developing credible and cost-efficient monitoring and evaluation systems to measure project impact in alignment with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.

Coming to us straight from Lund University’s world-leading MSc in International Development & Management programme (LUMID) — Gustav’s passion for the nexus between a just energy transition and the Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining (ASM) sector has been long-standing and extensive. He is now a conspicuous researcher with a dedicated interest in expanding the knowledge base around ASM — starting with constructively engaging with those to whom the knowledge belongs: the miners.

Gustav has coordinated and led the development of a holistic Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E) framework for The Impact Facility, integrating our work with cobalt in the Democratic Republic of Congo and our work with gold in East Africa. Now, he is focusing on implementation: bringing in a strong evidence base for the organisation’s decision-making and ensuring that the work is intertwined with a nuanced, comprehensive, and contextually sensitive understanding of our impact.

The significance of minerals within the contemporary international landscape may not be readily apparent to all. Even less recognised is the vital role played by the local communities where these minerals originate. This is the foundation of my argument: to legitimise the rightful ownership of natural resources by local communities, it’s essential to foster a deep, nuanced, and holistic understanding of Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining (ASM). From my perspective, this lies at the core of facilitating a fair and inclusive transition to a mineral-driven global economy — and it forms the basic principle of my work at the Fair Cobalt Alliance.