Robust governance systems are needed to accelerate the transition to an economy that is resilient and advances forest, sustainable land use, biodiversity, and climate goals. As a proxy for accountability and anti-corruption, only 86 of 179 (48%) countries in 2022 have a governance system where it is likely that the executive branch would be investigated and issued an unfavorable verdict by a body outside of the legislature. This global indicator from Varieties of Democracy (V-Dem) assesses whether there are bodies, such as a comptroller, ombudsperson, or general prosecutor, that would be likely to have the political independence, capacity, and willingness to investigate the executive branch – including the head of government – in the event of wrongdoing. This helps to understand whether the country has independent oversight institutions that function in practice at the highest levels. Oversight is essential to avoid misuse of finance, ensure that laws are upheld, and protect the fulfillment of civil liberties and rights. As of 2022, only 48% of 179 countries are reported as places where this is likely to happen in practice, and this percentage has dropped from over 56% in 2011. These findings suggest that even when such institutions have been established by law, work to build their capacity and independence to effectively challenge powerful elites are needed.
Robust governance systems are needed to accelerate the transition to an economy that is resilient and advances forest, sustainable land use, biodiversity, and climate goals. As a proxy for accountability and anti-corruption, only 86 of 179 (48%) countries in 2022 have a governance system where it is likely that the executive branch would be investigated and issued an unfavorable verdict by a body outside of the legislature. This global indicator from Varieties of Democracy (V-Dem) assesses whether there are bodies, such as a comptroller, ombudsperson, or general prosecutor, that would be likely to have the political independence, capacity, and willingness to investigate the executive branch – including the head of government – in the event of wrongdoing. This helps to understand whether the country has independent oversight institutions that function in practice at the highest levels. Oversight is essential to avoid misuse of finance, ensure that laws are upheld, and protect the fulfillment of civil liberties and rights. As of 2022, only 48% of 179 countries are reported as places where this is likely to happen in practice, and this percentage has dropped from over 56% in 2011. These findings suggest that even when such institutions have been established by law, work to build their capacity and independence to effectively challenge powerful elites are needed.