Guides
index
INCORE
guide to Internet sources on Natural
Resources, Environment and Conflict
Resources
compiled by Jessica Blomqvist (June 2005)
Contents
Inclusion
in this guide does not imply an endorsement by INCORE of the
views expressed in any of these sources. If you have a complaint
about this guide or believe that we have omitted a relevant
source please read our information about the guides before writing
to us. You may find that this will answer some of your questions.
This includes a warning about the type of information included
in the guide, information about our 'criteria for inclusion'
in the guides and about our 'updating and additions policy'.
News
Sources
Diamonds.Net
- Rapaport News
The Rapaport News website contains a special 'Conflict Diamonds' section
which contains a larger number of articles related to this topic, gathered
from various sources.
http://www.diamonds.net/news/?list=1
EDC News
This website is commissioned by the Environmental Policy Division at
the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency and edited
by Leif Ohlsson at the department of Peace and Development Research
at Goteborg University, Sweden. It contains news, reviews and references,
research and sources as well as provides an email newsletter.
http://www.edcnews.se/Front.html
IRIN News
IRIN News aims to provide 'timely, strategic and non-partisan information
so as to enhance the capacity of the humanitarian community to
understand, respond to and avert emergencies.' Also, by countering
misinformation and propaganda, it aims to support conflict resolution
and reconciliation. Particularly relevant are news under the themes
Environment and Peace & Security.
http://www.irinnews.org/
Reuters Alertnet
This news network offers the latest news on humanitarian-related events
around the world and contains a topic section on 'Diamonds and
resource wars'.
http://www.alertnet.org/thefacts/reliefresources/sections/RESWARS.htm#
NGOs,
International Organisations, Bilateral Agencies
Environmental Literacy Council
This NGO aims to help citizens, and young people in particular, gain
environmental literacy. Particularly relevant are the website sections
on Environment and Conflict, Conflict and Natural Resources, Conflict
Diamonds and Oil and National Security. The organisation's website
contains various publications, newsletters and press releases.
http://www.enviroliteracy.org/subcategory.php/222.html
Geneva Humanitarian Forum - Environment and Conflict Database
This database presents information that deal with how environment and
conflict are interrelated. The topics covered are 'legal aspects',
'human security', 'human health', 'environmental terrorism', 'environmental
refugees', 'land scarcity' etc.
http://www.genevahumanitarianforum.org/
Global Policy Forum
The GPF is a non-profit organisation with consultative status at the
UN and one of their aims is also to monitor policy making in the
same. The website offers an extensive list of UN and NGO documents
related to natural resources and conflict, diamonds in conflict.
http://www.globalpolicy.org/security/natres/docsindex.htm
http://www.globalpolicy.org/security/issues/diamond/
Global Witness
This organisation works to emphasise the link between natural resources,
conflict and corruption. They do this mainly by conducting field
investigations in 'countries devastated by conflict, massive corruption,
and human rights abuses' and then use this information to lobby
policy makers. Global Witness has been particular accredited for
its expertise in accountability and corporate transparency in natural
resource management. The website contains a number of useful resources,
such as the sections on publications and press releases. Areas
of focus in these sections include oil and diamonds generally,
as well as Myanmar, Cambodia, Cameroon, Liberia, Zimbabwe and DRC.
http://www.globalwitness.org/
Green Cross International - Water Conflict Prevention Program
This program aims to prevent and resolve conflicts in 'water-stressed
regions'. They do this by 'encouraging the participatory integrated
management of basins at the local, national and international levels.'
The website contains a programme description as well as a large
number of links to relevant publications and sites.
http://www.gci.ch/GreenCrossPrograms/WATERRES/waterresource.html#international
International Committee of the Red Cross
The ICRC website contains a large number of documents, reports and
news related to water and conflict, diamonds and conflict and natural
resources and conflict generally - for instance, use the search
engine.
http://www.icrc.org/web/eng/siteeng0.nsf/html/home!Open
International Institute for Sustainable
Development - IISD
This organisation seeks to promote sustainable development, including
natural resource management, environment and security generally. The
IISD does this through research and communication with policy makers
and other actors in the field. Of particular interest is the section
on Environment and Security, which contains a large number of relevant
documents and other resources.
http://www.iisd.org/
United Nations Environment
Programme (UNEP) - the Post Conflict Assessment Unit
On the website of this UN unit one can find a substantive number of
publications relevant to environment and conflict. Also presented are
the unit's various ongoing activities, maps etc.
http://postconflict.unep.ch/
World Bank Group - Conflict Prevention and Reconstruction/ Natural
Resources and Conflict
This part of the WB website offers a number of publications as well
as links relevant to the subject of natural resources and conflict.
http://lnweb18.worldbank.org/ESSD/sdvext.nsf/67ByDocName/ThemesNaturalResourcesandConflict
JICA - Japan International
Cooperation Agency
The JICA website contains information on its current projects and efforts
on global issues such as Environmental Management and Natural Environment
Conservation. Also posted on the website are some relevant resources
and publications.
http://www.jica.go.jp/english/
Sida
- the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency
On the Sida website one can find information on its environmental policies
and conflict management efforts. See also the publication section for
some relevant publications.
http://www.sida.se/Sida/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=585
SDC - Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation
The SDC's themes and focus are clearly presented on this website, including
Food Security and Environmental Quality and Peacebuilding.
http://www.sdc.admin.ch/index.php?userhash=27673562&l=e&navID=3
USAID -
The United States Agency for International Development
The USAID website provides information on its projects and policies
as regards to environmental issues of various sorts, such as land management,
water and forestry.
http://www.usaid.gov/our_work/environment/
Research
Centres/Projects/Programmes and Online Resources
African Centre
for Technology Studies - Ecological Sources of Conflicts
in Sub-Saharan Africa Project
This programme at the ACTS looks into the impact of 'Ecological resource
scarcity and ecological stress' on the outbreak of political conflict
in Sub-Saharan Africa. The website contains briefing papers, reports
and policy briefs.
http://www.acts.or.ke/Eco-Project.htm
Centre for the Study of Civil War (CSCW, PRIO) - Environmental
Factors in Civil War Programme
This research project for instance studies links between environmental
degradation, resource scarcity and territory on the one hand and conflict
onset and duration on the other. This perspective is also contrasted
with the view that resource abundance can be equally harmful as resource
scarcity. The website below offers a detailed description of the project
as well as a number of relevant publications.
http://www.prio.no/page/CSCW_research_detail/CSCW_research_menu_right/9649/40948.html
The Centre for the Study of Global Governance - Oil and Conflict
Project
The aim of this project is to look at links between dependency on oil
and the outbreak of conflict. It does this by testing a number of hypotheses
on several cases, including Angola, Azerbaijan and Columbia. The results
will be based on interviews with relevant actors in these countries
as well as primary sources.
http://www.lse.ac.uk/Depts/global/OtherProjects.htm
East-West Center - Natural Resources and Violent Ethnic Conflict
in the Asia/Pacific Project
This research project at the East-West Center looks into the interplay
between natural resources and ethnic conflict in the Asia/Pacific region.
See the link below for contact details and more info.
http://www.eastwestcenter.org/res-pr-detail.asp?resproj_ID=168
Eldis
This internet based information service aims at providing development
information that is 'of strategic, policy or practical interest
for development practitioners'. See for instance News & Events
as well as the resource guides on forestry and pastoralism.
http://www.eldis.org/index.htm
The HPCR Conflict Prevention Initiative - Economics and Conflict
This
online source provides News and Features, Reports and Analysis,
Laws and Agreements, Data and Maps, as well as links to organisations
related to a large number of topics, including natural resources
and conflict. For instance, search the E-library by region, country,
topic and keyword.
http://www.preventconflict.org/portal/economics/portalhome.php
The Human Security
Gateway - A Canadian Research and Information Database
The HSG website contains a substantial number of links related to various
different topics and regions, including 'Natural Resources and Armed
Conflict'.
http://www.humansecuritygateway.info/
International Environmental
Law Research Centre - IELRC
This NGO conducts research on environment in the North-South context
and wishes to contribute to sustainable environmental management in
developing countries through the development of legal and constitutional
frameworks. Of particular relevance is their research on governance,
human rights and equity.
http://www.ielrc.org/about_ielrc.htm
International Relations and Security Network (ISN) - Environment
and Conflicts Project
ENCOP looks into environmental degradation as a cause of conflict and
violence. The site below offers links to a number of relevant ENCOP
publications on this subject.
http://www.isn.ethz.ch/pubs/ph/details.cfm?r_oID=237&sid=5D11C6A921FDEDBDF1F67C0D3DC922EF
Institute
of Development Studies (IDS) - Environment Team Research
Pages
The Environment Team's work 'is multi-sited, linking detailed, local-level
understandings of ecology, livelihoods and knowledge with national
and international processes, and with critical reflection on scientific,
institutional and policy issues across these levels'. The website provides
info on recent highlights and projects and outputs.
http://www.ids.ac.uk/ids/env/index.html
Mineral Resources Forum - Law and Policy
This website contains a number of documents and resources related to
'conflicts involving the exploitation of natural resources that
may include metals and minerals such as gold, diamonds, and coltan'.
http://www.natural-resources.org/minerals/law/conflict.htm
The Pacific Institute
This Oakland-based think-tank conducts research related to development,
environment and international security. The website contains publications
as well as a number of resources.
http://www.pacinst.org/about_us/
Swiss Peace - Environmental Change and Conflict Transformation
Project IP7
This Swiss Peace project aims to 'improve scientific knowledge' on
global change-related environmental and natural resource conflicts.
The results of the project are presented in the form of working papers,
dissertations and articles. See also the 'IP7 Environment and Conflict:
Concepts and approaches for the study of natural resource conflicts
and for conflict mitigation' publication for detailed information on
IP7 research activities as well as suggested reading and links to relevant
online resources.
http://www.swisspeace.org/research/environmental_conflicts.htm
University of
California Irvine - Global Environmental Change and Human
Security, GECHS-UCI
This research project is tied to the International Human Dimensions
Programme (IHDP) and gains support from the Center for Global Peace
and Conflict Studies at the University of California Irvine. It focuses
on the interplay between environment and other transnational forces
and the impact this has on individuals and groups in developing countries.
In other words, it aims to link security issues to environment issues.
The website offers a news archive, publications as well as an overview
of the centres research and fieldwork.
http://www.gechs.uci.edu/index.html
Waternet - Water and Conflict
This website provides information, resources, links etc related to
'the role of water in conflict and co-operation', and more particularly
the Israeli-Palestinian water conflict and the Jordan river basin.
http://waternet.rug.ac.be/
The Water
Page / The African Water Page
The Water Page's aim is to promote 'sustainable water resources protection,
development and utilisation'. The website provides analysis on water
issues generally but the section on 'water and conflict' is of particular
interest as it contains a number of links and resources related to
this topic.
http://www.thewaterpage.com/conflict.htm
Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars - Environmental
Change and Security Project
This project looks at how environmental change is linked to 'conflict,
human insecurity, and foreign policy'. Included on the website are
various ECSP reports as well as documents and papers.
http://www.wilsoncenter.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=topics.home&topic_id=1413
World Policy
Institute
Although this policy research and advocacy institute does not currently
have any specific projects on environment/natural resources and
conflict, their website still contains a large number of documents
related to these issues. Use the search engine and type for instance
'natural resources and conflict'.
http://www.worldpolicy.org/wpi/index.html
Articles,
Reports and Documents - Natural Resources and Conflict
Classification of Natural Resources
By: Päivi Lujala. Department of Economics, Norwegian University
of Science and Technology. 2003.
This paper discusses the need to classify natural resources properly
in the analysis of whether or not a presence of natural resources in
a country increases the risk of conflict. The author hence elaborates
on 'how the economic incentives and opportunities for violent conflict
and rent seeking differ for various natural resources' and puts forth
a classification scheme that could be used when carrying out conflict
research.
http://www.essex.ac.uk/ecpr/events/jointsessions/paperarchive/edinburgh/ws9/Lujala.pdf
Conflict in the Great Lakes Region: How is It Linked with Land
and Migration?
By: Chris Huggins, Herman Musahara, Prisca Mbura Kamungi, Johnstone
Summit Oketch and Koen Vlassenroot. Overseas Development Institute,
2005.
Looking at Rwanda, Burundi and DRC this paper analyses how access to
land can be connected to outbreak of conflicts and the level and duration
of these. The authors come to the conclusion that competition for land
is a common source of conflict, that reallocation of land during conflict
and post-conflict access to land can have significant impact on the
situation in a country.
http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/RWB.NSF/db900SID/VBOL-6AHGPL?OpenDocument
Conflict of Interests or Interests in Conflict? Diamonds & War
in the DRC
By: Ingrid Samset. Review of African Political Economy, 2002.
This article analyses how diamonds and natural resources has prolonged
the war in the Democratic Republic of Congo. For instance it looks
at the way external actors have exploited natural resources in the
DRC to further their own positions in neighbouring countries such as
Rwanda , Uganda and Zimbabwe. The conclusion is that this has contributed
to prolonging war in the DRC.
http://www.cmi.no/publications/2002%5Csamset_in_roape.pdf
Conflict
Timber: Dimensions of the Problem in Asia and Africa Vol.
1
By: Jamie Thomson and Ramzy Kanaan. USAID/DCHA/OTI, USAID/ANE/TS. 2004.
Thomson and Kanaan explore how the sale of timber in Asia and Africa
can be connected to conflict in these areas. Although exploitation
of these so called forest resources cannot be entirely blamed for sparking
and financing conflicts, the conclusion of the paper is that this 'certainly
played a considerable role in sustaining many conflicts in these regions.
http://www.dec.org/pdf_docs/PNACT462.pdf
Conserving the Peace: Resources, Livelihoods and Security
Edited by: Richard Matthew, Mark Halle and Jason Switzer. IISD, 2002.
This collection of case studies deal with the interplay between environment/natural
resources, people and conflict from various perspectives.
http://www.iisd.org/pdf/2002/envsec_conserving_peace.pdf
Cultivating Peace - Conflict and Collaboration in Natural Resource
Management
By: Daniel Buckles. 1999.
The various authors in this book offer interesting discussions on the
potential relationship between natural resource management and conflict,
focussing mainly on four themes - 'culture, society, peace and policy'.
http://web.idrc.ca/en/ev-9398-201-1-DO_TOPIC.html
Dirty Diamonds
- Armed Conflict and the Trade in Rough Diamonds. Economies
of Conflict: Private Sector Activity in Armed Conflict
By: Ian Smillie. Programme for International Co-Operation and Conflict
Resolution, 2002.
This study looks into links between the diamond trade and armed conflict
and examines in detail the concept of 'conflict diamonds'. Also dealt
with in the study are issues such as the 'Kimberly Process' and how
the diamond industry and national/international actors can deal with
the problem of conflict diamonds sustaining conflict.
http://www.fafo.no/pub/rapp/377/377.pdf
Environment, Scarcity, and Conflict - A Study of Malthusian Concerns
By: Leif Ohlsson. Dept. of Peace and Development Research, University
of Goteborg. 1999.
Discussing the debate 'between "pessimists" and "optimists" on the
Malthusian issue', Leif Ohlsson argues that natural resource scarcity
'immutably turns up as scarcity of social resources', i.e. 'the ability
of societies to adapt to increasing scarcities of first of all land
and water' - the ultimate effect of social resource scarcity being
conflict within countries. The study looks at the link between environment
and conflict with a special focus put on the genocide in Rwanda. Ohlsson
concludes that intrastate conflicts are more likely not because of
water scarcity per se 'but by the institutional change required to
adapt to water scarcity. To illustrate this point, he also develops
a Social Resource Water Stress/Scarcity Index.
http://www.edcnews.se/Reviews/Ohlsson1999.html
Expert Group Meeting on Conflict Prevention, Peacebuilding and
Development
By: United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, 2004.
This DESA Paper discusses how the UN Department can address the fact
that natural resources tend both to motivate and sustain conflict by
'promoting global policy development'.
http://www.un.org/
From Water'wars' to Water'riots'? - Lessons from Transboundary
Water Management
Edited by: Jannik Boesen and Helle Munk Ravnborg. DIIS Working Paper
no 2004/6.
This working paper consists of a number of articles related to water
and conflict presented as part of the Danida study on 'Conflict Prevention
and Mitigation in Water Resource Management - lessons learned and challenges
ahead'.
http://www.diis.dk/graphics/Publications/WP2004/jbo_hmr_water.pdf
Fueling Conflict
By: Michael Renner. Foreign Policy in Focus, PetroPolitics Special
Report. 2004.
Looking at cases such as Nigeria, Sudan, Angola and Columbia, this
article concludes that exploitation of oil resources can indeed be
tied to the outbreak and sustaining of violence and that it is ultimately
the demand in industrialised countries that is to blame for making
'oil a resource worth battling over'.
http://www.fpif.org/papers/03petropol/war.html
International Companies and Post-Conflict Reconstruction: Cross-Sectoral
Comparisons
By: John Bray. The World Bank Social Development Papers - Conflict
Prevention and Reconstruction.
John Bray here offers a different perspective on the relationship between
natural resources and conflict, namely looking at the roles international
companies can play in post-conflict reconstruction. The point made
is that 'if policy-makers are to secure the maximum benefits from private
investment, they need to understand how different companies and sectors
view opportunity and risk, and find ways to assess their overall impact
in post-conflict settings'. The paper looks both at extractive industries,
such as petroleum and mining, as well as three other commercial sectors
and concludes that it is necessary for international companies to make
social impact assessments in order to 'help find a way out of cycles
of deprivation and conflict'.
http://lnweb18.worldbank.org/ESSD/sdvext.nsf/67ByDocName/InternationalCompaniesandPost-ConflictReconstructionCross-SectoralComparissons/$FILE/WP22_RevisedWeb.pdf
International Waters: Indicators for Identifying Basins at Risk
By: Aaron T. Wolf, Shira B. Yoffe and Mark Glordano, Department of
Geosciences at Oregon State University
The authors of this study set out to test claims that water scarcity
can be directly linked to conflict and the aim is to 'assess all reported
events of either conflict or cooperation between nations over water
resources over the last fifty years and to use these events to inform
the identification of basins at greatest risk of dispute' over the
next five to ten years. One of the main findings is that 'institutional
capacity within a basin' and 'generally positive international relations'
is as important as the physical aspects of the water basin in determining
conflict potential - 'very rapid changes, either on the institutional
side or in the physical system, are at the root of most water conflict'.
http://www.hidropolitik.hacettepe.edu.tr/inter_waters_indicators_for_identifying_basin_at_risk.pdf
Land & Conflict - A Toolkit for Intervention
By: USAID Office of Conflict Management and Mitigation, 2004.
This report deals with the relationship between land and violent conflict
generally and also offers a number of recommendations to donors on
'how to plan successful programmatic interventions to address land
and violent conflict'.
http://www.usaid.gov/our_work/cross-cutting_programs/conflict/publications/docs/CMM_Land_and_Conflict_2004.pdf
Liberia: Trade, Environment, and Conflict
By: Benjamin Hofstatter. ICE Case Number 82, 2001.
This report offers a to the point account of the relationship between
conflict, diamonds and the environment in the Liberian case.
http://www.american.edu/TED/ice/liberiadiamonds.htm
Livelihood Conflicts: Linking Poverty and Environment as Causes
of Conflict
By: Leif Ohlsson. Sida, Department for Natural Resources and the Environment.
2000.
In this paper, Leif Ohlson looks at the connection between environmental
scarcity, loss of livelihoods, poverty and conflict. He concludes that
environmental scarcities can lead to livelihood loss which can cause
livelihood conflicts, i.e. 'the common denominator of many … of
the civil wars and conflicts which plagued Africa, South Asia, and
Latin America during the last decade, is poverty resulting from loss
of livelihood which, in turn, is often caused or exacerbated by environmental
degradation'.
http://www.sida.se/content/1/c6/01/99/24/LivelihoodConf.pdf
The Logs of War - The Timber Trade and Armed Conflict
By: Global Witness / Fafo's Programme for International Cooperation
and Conflict Resolution. 2002.
As the title suggests, this report looks at the political economy of
timber trade and how this trade in tropical timber ties in with armed
conflict.
http://www.globalwitness.org/reports/download.php/00044.pdf
Middle
East Water Conflicts and Directions for Conflict Resolution
By: Aaron T. Wolf, 1996.
This study looks at how the 'critical shortage of water in the Middle
East came about, the political tensions that are inexorably intertwined
with the scarcity of water, and what the nations of the Middle East
can do to help alleviate both the water crisis and the attending political
pressures'.
http://www.ifpri.org/2020/briefs/number31.htm
Minerals & Conflict - A Toolkit for Intervention
By: USAID Office of Conflict Management and Mitigation, 2004.
The USAID toolkit examines the relationship between violence and valuable
minerals such as diamonds and coltan. It also for instance 'discusses
lessons learned in developing programs to deal with 'conflict commodities''
as well as 'presents a range of program options' etc.
http://www.usaid.gov/our_work/cross-cutting_programs/conflict/publications/docs/CMM_Minerals_and_Conflict_2004.pdf
Natural Resources and Conflict in Africa
By: Paul Collier
This article deals with why Africa has been plagued by so many civil
wars. Collier concludes that a lot can be explained by economic factors,
including the endowment of natural resources within countries.
http://www.crimesofwar.org/africa-mag/afr_04_collier.html
Natural Resources and Violent Conflict: Options and Actions
Edited by: Ian Bannon and Paul Collier. World Bank, 2003.
The various contributions in this book deal with how the presence of
primary commodities and natural resources in developing countries is
interconnected with the outbreak and persistence of armed conflict
in these. The aim is to develop a global perspective on these issues
and hence find measures for the international community to help prevent
the negative effects that natural resources tend to have.
http://www-wds.worldbank.org/
Natural Resources
and War - Papers forthcoming in Journal of Conflict Resolution
The website below provides downloadable versions of the various contributions
to the Journal of Conflict Resolution's forthcoming special edition
on Natural Resources and Armed Conflict (August 2005). Authors include
James Ron, Thad Dunning, James Fearon, Macartan Humphreys, Paivi Lujala,
Richard Snyder, Jeremy Weinstein, Paul Collier and Anke Hoeffler.
http://www.mcgill.ca/rgchr/jcrpapers/
Natural Resources,
Conflict, and Conflict Resolution: Uncovering the Mechanisms
By: Macartan Humphreys. 2004.
This study sets out to test the rebel greed hypothesis and the evidence
produced show support for a 'weak states rather than a rebel greed
hypothesis' and that 'Natural resources affect conflict onset independent
of state strength and weaker evidence that these effects are exacerbated
when states are weak'. In addition, the author concludes that 'Natural
resources are associated with shorter wars and natural resource wars
are more likely to end with military victory for one side than other
wars'.
http://www.columbia.edu/~mh2245/papers1/resources.pdf
The Political Economy of Natural Resources-Based Conflict in Sudan
By: Omer A. Egemi and Sara Pantuliano
Looking at several areas of Sudan, the authors discuss how land tenure
is linked to local conflicts. The study concludes that it is scarcity
of resources rather than ethnic differences that cause conflict.
http://www.sudia.org/DocBase/Political%20Economy%20of%20Natural%20Resources-Based%20Conflict%20in.pdf
Resources
and Conflict in the Asia Pacific Region - Linking resources
and conflict the Melanesian way
By: Glenn Banks. Pacific Economic Bulletin, 2005.
This article deals with how well the Melanesian countries fit the so
called 'the resource-curse model', i.e. to what extent can natural
resources be connected to civil conflict in these countries. The conclusion
is that 'it is not about either greed or grievance, or curses for that
matter, but it is more centrally about the changes that occur in relationships
between individuals, groups, and local governments' due to resource
developments.
http://peb.anu.edu.au/pdf/PEB20-1Banks.pdf
Stolen Goods: Coltan and Conflict in the Democratic Republic
of Congo
By: Dena Montague. Arms Trade Resource Project, the World Policy Institute.
SAIS Review, 2002.
This paper looks into the interplay between 'economic exploitation
and conflict in Africa'. A general conclusion is that 'International
competition for scarce resources in general, and coltan in particular,
is a key factor in the lack of state stability and the continuation
of war in the DRC'.
http://www.worldpolicy.org/projects/arms/news/22.1montague.pdf
Sudan Oil and Conflict Timeline
By: SudanUpdate
Extensive timeline of developments surrounding oil and conflict in
Sudan from 1955 to 1999.
http://www.sudanupdate.org/REPORTS/Oil/21oc.html
Water and Conflict in the Gaza Strip
By: Stephanie Goeller. ICE Case Studies, 1997.
The case study at hand provides a brief overview of how scarcity and
mismanagement of water in the Gaza Strip has 'aggravated the Arab-Israeli
conflict'.
http://www.american.edu/projects/mandala/TED/ice/GAZA.HTM
Water and Conflict - lessons learned and options available on
conflict prevention and resolution in water governance
By: Helle Munk Ravnborg. Danish Institute for International Studies,
2004.
Munk Ravnborg here looks at local water conflicts rather than transboundary
water resources and international security. The author concludes that
it is necessary to increase our understanding of implications of the
former and how to achieve more effective water governance.
http://www.diis.dk/graphics/Publications/Briefs2004/hmr_WaterConflict_web.pdf
Water: Cause for
Conflict or Co-operation?
By: Irna van der Molen and Antoinette Hildering, 2003.
This paper offers an overview of the debate over whether increasing
freshwater scarcity will lead to national and/or international conflicts
or if 'cooperative arrangements for sharing river resources' can mitigate
these tendencies.
http://www.student-pugwash.org/halifax2003/papers/VanderMolen.pdf
Water, Conflict, and Cooperation
By: Alexander Carius, Geoffrey D. Dabelko and Aaeron T. Wolf
Concluding that water can indeed be an indirect cause of conflict by
for instance affecting agriculture and hence the main source of livelihood
for many people, the authors recommend a UN program of preventive diplomacy
focused on water.
http://www.un-globalsecurity.org/pdf/Carius_Dabelko_Wolf.pdf
Articles,
Reports and Documents - Environment and Conflict
Conserving the Peace: Resources, Livelihoods and Security
Edited by: Richard Matthew, Mark Halle and Jason Switzer. IISD, 2002.
This collection of case studies deal with the interplay between environment/natural
resources, people and conflict from various perspectives.
http://www.iisd.org/pdf/2002/envsec_conserving_peace.pdf
Ecological Sources of Conflict in Sub-Saharan Africa: Linking
Theory to Practice
By: Christopher Huggins. ACTS Ecological Sources of Conflicts Vol.
2. No. 3. 2003.
This report provides a through overview of the topic of how ecology
has played and will play a role in conflict and conflict resolution
in the Sub-Saharan region of Africa. It also sums up a number of relevant
policy implications/recommendations.
http://www.acts.or.ke/Eco%20Policy%20Brief4.pdf
Environmental Degradation and Intra/Interstate Conflicts in
Bangladesh
By: M. Abdul Hafiz and Nahid Islan. Centre for Security Studies, ETH
Zurich. 1993.
This paper analyses if environmental degradation and 'man made disturbances
to environment' could be a cause of future conflict in Bangladesh and/or
between this country and neighbouring states. In other words, could
environmental degradation in the country lead to social effects on
such a scale that it would cause violent conflict? And if so, what
would the magnitude of the conflict be and how could the social effects
and this/these potential conflict(s) be resolved?
http://cms.isn.ch/public/docs/doc_242_290_en.pdf
The Environment and Conflict in the Third World: Examining Linkage,
Context and Policy
By: Geoffrey D. Dabelko, 1996.
This article gives a thorough overview of the debate of whether or
not environmental scarcity leads to violent conflict and it offers
arguments from both sides of the spectrum. Dabelko also discusses the
environmental security context, the north-south context and offers
a number of policy conclusions.
http://www.bsos.umd.edu/harrison/papers/paper12.htm
Environmental Change and Security Project Report, Issue 10 2004
Edited by: Geoffrey D. Dabelko, the Woodrow Wilson Center for Scholars.
In this ECSP Report, a number of 'top thinkers' in the field discuss
the way forward in terms of linkages between environment, population
and security. Particularly relevant is for instance the article 'From
Environmental Peacemaking to Environmental Peacekeeping'.
http://wwics.si.edu/topics/pubs/ECSP_report_10.pdf
Environmental
Degradation and the Israeli Palestinian Conflict
By: Jad Isaac and Mohammad Ghanyem
This article offers an interesting account of the linkages between
environmental degradation and the Israeli Palestinian conflict. According
to the authors 'this paper will try to address the environmental problems
in Palestine defined here as the West Bank and Gaza, including East
Jerusalem, out of a conviction that sustainable peace is only possible
through just and equitable utilization and management of natural resources
between Israelis and Palestinians.'
http://www.arij.org/pub/pubarabic/envdegredation/index.htm
Environment, Scarcity, and Conflict - A Study of Malthusian
Concerns
By: Leif Ohlsson. Dept. of Peace and Development Research, University
of Goteborg. 1999.
Discussing the debate 'between "pessimists" and "optimists" on the
Malthusian issue', Leif Ohlsson argues that natural resource scarcity
'immutably turns up as scarcity of social resources', i.e. 'the ability
of societies to adapt to increasing scarcities of first of all land
and water' - the ultimate effect of social resource scarcity being
conflict within countries. The study looks at the link between environment
and conflict with a special focus put on the genocide in Rwanda. Ohlsson
concludes that intrastate conflicts are more likely not because of
water scarcity per se 'but by the institutional change required to
adapt to water scarcity. To illustrate this point, he also develops
a Social Resource Water Stress/Scarcity Index.
http://www.edcnews.se/Reviews/Ohlsson1999.html
Global
Environmental Change and Human Security: Conceptual and
Theoretical Issues
By: Richard A. Matthew and Leah Fraser. GECHS-UCI, 2002.
This report looks into issues related to security and environment.
It seeks to define the concept of 'human security' in broader terms
and looks at how human security is related to global environmental
change from a theoretical standpoint.
http://www.gechs.uci.edu/gechsprdraffinal.pdf
Liberia: Trade, Environment, and Conflict
By: Benjamin Hofstatter. ICE Case Number 82, 2001.
This report offers a to the point account of the relationship between
conflict, diamonds and the environment in the Liberian case.
http://www.american.edu/TED/ice/liberiadiamonds.htm
Livelihood Conflicts: Linking Poverty and Environment as Causes
of Conflict
By: Leif Ohlsson. Sida, Department for Natural Resources and the Environment.
2000.
In this paper, Leif Ohlson looks at the connection between environmental
scarcity, loss of livelihoods, poverty and conflict. He concludes that
environmental scarcities can lead to livelihood loss which can cause
livelihood conflicts, i.e. 'the common denominator of many … of
the civil wars and conflicts which plagued Africa, South Asia, and
Latin America during the last decade, is poverty resulting from loss
of livelihood which, in turn, is often caused or exacerbated by environmental
degradation'.
http://www.sida.se/content/1/c6/01/99/24/LivelihoodConf.pdf
On
the Threshold: Environmental Changes as Causes of Acute
Conflict
By: Thoma F. Homer-Dixon. Trudeau Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies,
1991.
In this study, the author offers a detailed discussion of how environmental
change can lead to acute conflict. Homer-Dixon suggests 'a preliminary
analytical framework that lays out a research agenda for exploring
the issue' and proposes that 'environmentally induced conflicts are
likely to arise first in the developing world'.
http://www.library.utoronto.ca/pcs/thresh/thresh1.htm
State-of-the-Art Review on Environment, Security and Development
Co-Operation
By: IUCN - The World Conservation Union, 1999.
This report 'seeks to trace the development of interest in and understanding
of the link between environmental degradation, social tension and conflict,
and to identify the significance for development assistance'.
http://www.iisd.org/pdf/2002/envsec_oecd_review.pdf
Tragedy in Rwanda: the political ecology of conflict
By: Peter Uvin. 1996.
This article examines how social as well as ecological processes can
be connected to the occurrence of the 1994 'Rwandan tragedy'.
http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1076/is_n3_v38/ai_18375140
Understanding Environment,
Conflict and Cooperation
By: UNEP, 2004.
This report discusses the potential relationship between environmental
degradation and political instability; and whether or not preserving
the environment through cooperative measures and sharing can solve
and prevent conflict.
http://www.unep.org/PDF//ECC.pdf
What
is an Environmental Conflict?
By: Stephan Libiszewski. Environment and Conflicts Project. ENCOP Occasional
Papers. Center for Security Studies, ETH Zurich/Swiss Peace Foundation
1992-95.
This article attempts to 'clarify theoretically what environmental
causes of conflict are and what they are not; and how the causal link
between physical processes in nature and the rise in violent conflict
within or between societies should be seen'.
http://cms.isn.ch/public/docs/doc_238_290_en.pdf
Maps
UNEP Post Conflict
Assessment Unit
Contains natural resource/environment maps of Afghanistan, Albania,
Serbia and Montenegro, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Iraq
as well as of the presence on depleted Uranium during the Kosovo conflict.
http://postconflict.unep.ch/maps.htm
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