Beyond Greenwashing: Prioritizing Environmental Justice in Conflict-Affected Settings
Publisher: Evironment and Security
Author(s): Ambreen Tour Ben-Shmuel and Silja Halle
Date: 2023
Topics: Dispute Resolution/Mediation, Peace and Security Operations, Programming
Building on recent studies that call for further attention to marginalized communities at the intersection of environment, climate action, and peacebuilding initiatives, this article recommends an environmental justice lens for work in conflict-affected settings. We highlight examples of resistance to environmental action where a justice lens has been missed, amplifying minority voices and perspectives, and including a case where environmental peacebuilding is perceived as greenwashing. Lacking this lens, environmental action and research risk—albeit inadvertently—further entrenching sociopolitical injustices. Employing a conflict-sensitive, peace-positive, and environmental justice-responsive approach can produce more sustainable outcomes.