#PowerTracker investigations

Journalists working on our #PowerTracker programme are collating data sets on green energy projects, in order to investigate who is financing the transition to renewable energy and how the money is being spent.

The datasets are original and unique. They are built by our teams for use in our #PowerTracker exposés, and are shared here in the public interest.

• Green hydrogen: This dataset was built by Oxpeckers to track GH2 projects being developed in Namibia. It informed our investigation Elections take the shine off green hydrogen.

• Wind energy: This dataset shows operational wind farms added a combined capacity of more than 3,400MW to South Africa’s electricity grid by September 2023, according to the Department of Energy’s IPP Projects website and official Eskom data. It was used in the #PowerTracker investigation into the status of wind energy in Mpumalanga in July 2024, titled Mpumalanga is going with the wind.

• Critical minerals for Mpumalanga: This dataset was compiled from the 2024 database of the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy, and analysed for the #PowerTracker investigation into energy storage titled Running on empty: Mpumalanga’s energy transition needs juice

• Deforestation & energy in Zimbabwe: this dataset compiled by the #PowerTracker team shows tree cover and loss in Matabeleland North, as well as coal and renewable energy projects that contribute to the national grid. It informed our investigation titled The dark Light: Zimbabwe’s energy nightmare.

• Environmental (mis)management in Zimbabwe: this dataset was collated by the #PowerTracker team to map environmental court cases related to water pollution & land degradation. The dataset is used in our investigation into the battles the Environmental Management Agency faces, published here.

• Lithium mining in Zimbabwe: this dataset was collated by the #PowerTracker team to map where Zimbabwe’s lithium mining activities are based, as well as where legal action against offending companies has been carried out. The dataset is used in our investigation into the costs of the lithium industry in Zimbabwe, here.

• Mpumalanga municipal finances: this dataset tracks the cash balance of Mpumalanga’s municipalities from 2018 to 2022. It was used during a #PowerTracker investigation into how indebted municipalities that are not bankable have the potential to undermine financing for the Just Energy Transition. See Are municipalities good for JET money?

• Solar energy projects in Cabo Delgado, Mozambique: this dataset contains details of solar projects being implemented in the northern province of the country, including status, capacity, beneficiaries and cost. It was used in the investigation Solar’s not shining for all in Cabo Delgado, written by one of the grantees of our #PowerTracker Mozambique programme in 2023.

• Solar energy projects in Mozambique: this dataset shows solar projects being implemented by the National Energy Fund (FUNAE) between 2022 and 2030 in all provinces of the country. It was used in the investigation Solar powers up lives in northern Mozambique written by one of the grantees of our #PowerTracker Mozambique programme in 2023.

• Renewable energy projects in Southern Africa: this unique dataset includes the capacities of various energy projects, countries where they are implemented, how much carbon emissions these projects are reducing, who is funding them, how much they cost, and many other details. The data set was compiled by grantees of our #PowerTracker Southern Africa programme in 2022.

#WildEye investigations

We have collated thousands of data entries relating to environmental crimes across the world. These datasets are constantly being updated, please email us on oxpeckers@gmail.com if you want us to share them with you.

The datasets below are original and unique. They have been built by our teams for use in our exposés, and are shared here in the public interest:

• Crimes committed related to the killing of animals in Rwanda 2021-2022. This data set from the Rwanda Prosecution Office was released in response to a request by journalist Kelly Rwamapera for #WildEye East Africa. Information from the data set is shared on our regional environmental crime tracking tool here.

• Illegal timber trade from Myanmar to Europe – this data set was compiled for a series of cross-border data-driven investigations into how the illegal teak trade from Myanmar to Europe is fuelling deforestation and propping up Myanmar’s military regime. Investigations published in our Rotten Routes project are shared by project sponsor IJ4EU here.

• Court judgements in the Philippines – data set of wildlife crime convictions from 2013 to 2020. This data was used in our investigation Philippine wildlife criminals get away with a slap on the wrist

• Court judgements in Hong Kong – data set and analysis of court proceedings in wildlife trafficking cases in 2019 and 2020. This data was used in our investigation Business as usual for Hong Kong’s wildlife masterminds

• Court judgements in Malaysia – data set of court rulings in wildlife trafficking cases between 2019 and 2021. These rulings were analysed for our investigation Malaysia’s judges throw the book at wildlife criminals

• Illegal tiger trade in Europe – data set collated by #WildEye on seizures, arrests and court cases between 2011 and 2020. This was one of the data sets used in our 2021 investigations Until the last tiger roars, and Tigers à la carte. The data was used in investigations published in Italian in Lifegate here, and in French in Usbek & Rica here.

• Court judgements on tiger trafficking in Nepal – consolidated data set of decisions from 2010 – 2018. This was one of the data sets analysed for use in the #WildEye Asia investigation Nepal’s courts in the dock over tiger crimes

• Wildlife crime in India – consolidated data set on poaching and law enforcement activities involving multiple species in India’s protected areas. This was one of the data sets analysed for use in the #WildEye Asia investigation Insurgents linked to India’s rhino poaching syndicates

• China Judgements Online – sentences in pangolin offences from December 2019 to April 2020. This data was analysed for the #WildEye Asia investigation Chinese courts treat pangolin offenders lightly

• Online wildlife crime in our Cryptotrafficking dossier:

• Seizures, arrests, charges & sentences involving illegal ivory trade across greater Europe:

• Price list of reptiles sold online by a trader from Africa, in How we (almost) became reptile smugglers:

• European eel seizures, arrests, court cases and convictions, in ‘Greatest wildlife crime on the planet’ threatens multiple ecosystems:

Mining your Water data

We have sourced, cleaned and collated thousands of data entries relating to water use licences across South Africa. The Water Licences map layer on #MineAlert shows where these have been granted in identified strategic water source areas. Our datasets are constantly being updated, please email us on oxpeckers@gmail.com if you want us to share the latest version with you.

Water permit violations

This dataset exposes mines in South Africa that have not complied with water use licence conditions. The data, released by the Department of Water & Sanitation in 2019, was used in the #MineAlert investigation Sweeping water permit violations at mines across SA.

#MineAlert data

• 2024 Mines, quarries, agents, and mineral processing plants officially operating in South Africa

This dataset is the National Department of Mineral Resources’ official 2024 list of operating mines, quarries, agents, and mineral processing plants in South Africa.

• Chrome mines

Data captured by AmaranthCX shows chrome mining activities in the Bushveld Complex in the Limpopo and North West provinces. This data set was used in the investigation Has the DMRE lost control of South Africa’s chrome resources?

• New coal projects

Data set collated by the Global Energy Monitor identified planned new mines indicating the global coal mining industry might not be winding down any time soon. This data set was analysed by #MineAlert for Deep Trouble: research shows coal is still king

Data captured by AmaranthCX shows there are currently 112 new coal projects in exploration, feasibility study and/or construction phase. Of these new projects, 82 are in Mpumalanga province. This data set was used in the investigation Is coal really on its way out in South Africa?

• Following SA’s mining millions

A data-driven #MineAlert investigation shows that 10 UK-based companies paid out at least US$1.076-billion to South African government and community entities in 2018. #MineAlert investigated where the money went, in Following SA’s mining millions

• Mines, quarries, agents, and mineral processing plants officially operating in South Africa

This dataset is the National Department of Mineral Resources’ official 2021 list of operating mines, quarries, agents, and mineral processing plants in South Africa.

• Mine closure certificates and financial provisions for rehabilitation

This dataset details closure certificates and financial provisions for mine rehabilitation across South Africa. This data, released by provincial and national Department of Minerals offices as a result of Access to Information requests by Oxpeckers journalists,  was featured in the #MineAlert investigation Coal mines leave a legacy of ruin.