2 Contents Acknowledgements____________________________________________________________________ 4 Summary____________________________________________________________________________ 4 Introduction__________________________________________________________________________ 6 Key terms____________________________________________________________________________ 8  ‘Food protest’__________________________________________________________________ 8  ‘Energy protest’________________________________________________________________ 8  ‘Events’ and‘episodes’___________________________________________________________ 8 Methodology_________________________________________________________________________ 8  Research questions and approach__________________________________________________ 8  Data_________________________________________________________________________ 9  Analysis______________________________________________________________________ 10  Limitations___________________________________________________________________ 10 Food, energy and cost of living protests in 2022: numbers, locations, protesters and grievances______ 12  An unprecedented wave of food and energy protests?________________________________ 12  Location and distribution of protests_______________________________________________ 14  Protestors____________________________________________________________________ 15  Grievances___________________________________________________________________ 16  Food, energy and the rising cost of living____________________________________________ 17  Corruption, collusion and unaccountable elites_______________________________________ 19  Responses and interactions______________________________________________________ 21 Selected episodes of food, energy& cost of living protests____________________________________ 24 Ecuador____________________________________________________________________________ 24  Overview of the episode________________________________________________________ 24  Protestors and grievances_______________________________________________________ 24 Panama____________________________________________________________________________ 26  Overview of events_____________________________________________________________ 26  Protestors and grievances_______________________________________________________ 27  Policy and political outcomes_____________________________________________________ 27 Sierra Leone_________________________________________________________________________ 28  Overview of the events_________________________________________________________ 28  Protestors and grievances_______________________________________________________ 28  Political and policy response_____________________________________________________ 30 Lebanon____________________________________________________________________________ 31