Briefing: Defining Nature, Peace and Security (NPS)
Publisher: Conflict and Environment Observatory
Author(s): Doug Weir, Alec Crawford, and Florian Titze
Date: 2026
Topics: Governance, Weapons, Waste, and Pollution
Narrow interpretations of the relationships between nature and security that prioritise the national security of only a few states risk repeating the mistakes of past environmental security discourse, alienating and excluding key stakeholders — potentially increasing contestation — and contributing little towards addressing the underlying drivers of global biodiversity loss.
Instead there is an urgent need for a more expansive understanding of nature, peace and security that takes a holistic approach to the complex relationships between nature, peace and security to provide a robust understanding of the drivers of biodiversity loss globally, and in areas affected by fragility and conflict. Such an understanding can be used to identify and facilitate positive roles for nature during peacebuilding and conflict transformation, as well as contributing to the security needs and aspirations of all.