Issue #159 – Feb 11, 2020

Announcements

CLOSING SOON: Voting for EnPAx Special Election - Young Professional Director (Deadline: February 17, 2020)

February 11, 2020 | Environmental Peacebuilding Association

The Environmental Peacebuilding Association (EnPAx) is pleased to announce to its members that voting is now open for a special election seat for the Board of Directors.

Call for Abstracts: Warfare, Environment, Social Inequality and Pro-Sociability Biennial Conference

February 10, 2020 | Winthrop University and James Madison University

The organizers of the Warfare, Environment, Social Inequality and Pro-Sociability (WESIPS) Biennial Conference are seeking papers from a variety of disciplinary perspectives and theoretical approaches addressing one or more of the following topics:…

Events

For more upcoming events on environmental peacebuilding, please visit our online calendar of events.

Warfare, Environment, Social Inequality, and Pro-Sociability (WESIPS) 2021 – Biennial Conference

May 19, 2021 - 2021-05-21 Winthrop University and James Madison University
Seville, Spain

Over millennia, warfare, environmental degradation, and social inequality have brought much suffering to humankind.

Climate Change, Peace and Conflict

March 3, 2020 Disasters and Resilience Interest Group, Environmental Peacebuilding Association
Washington, DC / online

Climate change is a major threat to human wellbeing and development, but does it also impact the dynamics of violent conflict and peacebuilding?

Career Advice with Tobias Ide

March 3, 2020 Young Professionals Interest Group, Environmental Peacebuilding Association
Washington, DC / online

This is an opportunity for scholars and practitioners to discuss research trends and career opportunities in environmental peacebuilding.

Youth-Led Environmental Peacebuilding: Lessons from the Field

February 18, 2020 Young Professionals Interest Group, Environmental Peacebuilding Association
Washington, DC / online

Young people constitute the largest demographic sector in many countries affected by conflicts related to competition over natural resources and the negative impacts of climate change.

Environmental Impact and Climate Change Adaptation in Mine Action

February 12, 2020 Norwegian People’s Aid, Conflict and Environment Observatory, and HALO Trust
Geneva, Switzerland

Managing the environmental aspects of mine action operations is critical to ensure that operations do no harm and positively impact local communities after clearance.

Library

In the last two weeks, 34 new publications were added to our online library of materials on environmental peacebuilding. Here is a sampling of the new additions:

Framing and Responding to Climate-Related Security Risks in Swedish Development Cooperation

January 1, 2020 | Malin Mobjörk and Veronica Brodén Gyberg
Stockholm International Peace Research Institute

Societies worldwide are increasingly facing security challenges posed by climate change.

Water and Violence: Future Shock

January 1, 2020
Blue Peace Bulletin

In recent years, there has been much talk about the risk of “water wars’.

India-Pakistan River Water Sharing: Prospects for Environmental Peacebuilding

January 1, 2020 | Dhanasree Jayaram
Water Management in South Asia

India–Pakistan relations have been marred by territorial, ideological and geopolitical tensions since independence. This has affected the potential for water cooperation between the two South Asian nations.

Mapping and Analysing Cultural Ecosystem Services in Conflict Areas

January 1, 2020 | Frederico Santarém, Jarkko Saarinen, and José Carlos Brito
Ecological Indicators

Human-mediated global environmental change threatens ecosystem services worldwide. Detailed cultural ecosystem services mapping is crucial to counteract ecosystem degradation, but such mapping exercises have been confined to small-scale analyses in developed countries.

Answering the Right Questions: Addressing Biodiversity Conservation in Post-Conflict Colombia

January 1, 2020 | Andrea Catalina Torres Rodríguez, Edoardo Binda, José M.Ochoa Quintero, Hernando Garcia, Bibiana Gómez, Carolina Soto, Sindy Martínez, and Nicola Clerici
Environmental Science & Policy

The post-conflict scenario in Colombia poses several environmental urgencies, making it necessary to identify and prioritize new challenges for biodiversity conservation and ecosystems management.

Climate Extremes and Conflict Dynamics (Chapter in "Climate Extremes and Their Implications for Impact and Risk Assessment")

January 1, 2020 | Jürgen Scheffran
Climate Extremes and Their Implications for Impact and Risk Assessment

A growing body of literature analyzes interactions between climate extremes and conflict dynamics, with a focus on the social, political, and economic consequences of climate extremes which can destabilize and transform societies.

Forest Becomes Frontline: Conservation and Counter-insurgency in a Space of Violent Conflict in Assam, Northeast India

January 1, 2020 | Anwesha Dutta
Political Geography

Using the case of the Ecological Task Force (ETF) of the Indian Army as an entry point, this contribution nudges the existing conceptual and theoretical views on green militarization and violent environments in…

World Food Programme Global Hotspots 2020

January 1, 2020 | European Commission
World Food Programme

The WFP 2020 Global Hotspots Report highlights grave challenges in sub-Saharan Africa over the next six months with Zimbabwe, South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Central Sahel region standing out…

Involving Victim Population in Environmentally Sustainable Strategies: An Analysis for Post-Conflict Colombia

January 1, 2019 | Andres Suarez, Paola Arias-Arévalo, Eliana Martinez-Mera, Juan Carlos Granobles-Torres, and Tatiana Enríquez-Acevedo
Science of the Total Environment

Environmental objectives tend to receive a push to the background in post-conflict scenarios.

Rebel Natural Resource Exploitation and Conflict Duration

January 1, 2019 | Justin M. Conrad, Kevin T. Greene, James Igoe Walsh, and Beth Elise Whitaker
Journal of Conflict Resolution

How does natural resource wealth influence the duration of civil conflicts?

Water, Peace and the Middle East: Part 2 [Audio]

January 1, 2019 | Jay Famiglietti
Global Institute for Water Security

Part 2 of our interview in Tel Aviv, Israel where host Jay Famiglietti sits down with Gidon Bromberg, co-founder and Israeli Director of EcoPeace Middle East.

Water, Peace and the Middle East: Part 1 [Audio]

January 1, 2019 | Jay Famiglietti
Global Institute for Water Security

This episode, host Jay Famiglietti sits down with Gidon Bromberg, co-founder and Israeli Director of EcoPeace Middle East.

Jobs

Please visit our jobs page to view these positions and other job opportunities.

CAR: Head of Project - Agricultural Production

February 11, 2020 | Welthungerhilfe

Welthungerhilfe is one of the largest and most respected private organisations for development cooperation and humanitarian aid in Germany.

Liberia: GEF Natural Capital Accounting (NCA) Project Manager

February 11, 2020 | Conservation International

Conservation International (CI) has been protecting nature for the benefit of all for over 30 years.

Myanmar: Livelihoods Manager – Short Term

February 11, 2020 | Danish Refugee Council

DRC is seeking a dynamic and motivated Livelihoods Manager to strengthen and develop the Livelihoods team and programmes in Rakhine state.

Cyprus: Biological / Environmental Science Technician (Greek Speaking)

February 11, 2020 | UNDP

United Nations Development Program (UNDP) works to support the ongoing peace and confidence building process by promoting initiatives that encourage dialogue and cooperation between the communities of Cyprus.

Cyprus: Biological / Environmental Science Technician (Turkish Speaking)

February 11, 2020 | UNDP

International News

In the last two weeks, 23 international news items on environmental peacebuilding were posted on our website. The following is a sampling:

Myanmar: Bank Loosens Repayment Period for Farmers

October 24, 2019 | Yu Wai, Myanmar Times

Myanmar Agricultural Development Bank (MADB) has announced that it will extend the repayment period for its agricultural loans for the winter crop season by next three months for the convenience of farmers.

Iraq/Kurdistan/Syria: US Sudden Syria Exit Leaves Angry Iraqi Kurds Looking to Iran: 'Oil Thicker Than Innocent Blood'

October 24, 2019 | Tom O'Connor and Naveed Jamali, Newsweek

The United States' sudden withdrawal from northern Syria has angered Kurds not only in this war-torn country, but in neighboring Iraq, where the ethnic minority has relied on Washington's backing for decades, but…

Egypt/Ethiopia: Egypt, Ethiopia Follow Diplomatic Route over River Nile Water-Sharing

October 24, 2019 | Edward Yeranian, Voice of America

Both Egypt and Ethiopia are working to find a diplomatic solution to the conflict over water-sharing as construction of the Renaissance Dam on the River Nile nears completion.

Iraq: Microbes Offer Hope of Cleaning up Iraq Conflict’s Pollution Legacy

October 23, 2019 | UN Environment

A biological remediation pilot project seeking to enhance nature’s own ability to clear up oil spills in Iraq’s conflict-affected areas has been launched in Kirkuk by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in…

Syria: US Has Plan to Send Tanks and Troops to 'Secure' Syria Oil Fields amid Withdrawal

October 23, 2019 | James LaPorta and Tom O'Connor, Newsweek

The United States has drawn up a plan to send troops and tanks to guard Syria's eastern oil fields amid a withdrawal from the country's north.

Sudan/South Sudan: Sudan, South Sudan Resolve Border Dispute

October 23, 2019 | East African

Sudan and South Sudan have made a major breakthrough in border talks that concluded on Tuesday in Khartoum leaving only five areas subject to further negotiations.

Syria: 'Secured the Oil': US Troops Stay behind to Guard Oilfields

October 22, 2019 | Al Jazeera

The United States is weighing whether to retain a military presence near oilfields in northeastern Syria in order to prevent the sites falling under the control of the Islamic State of Iraq and…

DRC: Health and Safety Bigger Risks to Artisanal Miners Than Conflict Minerals — Report

October 22, 2019 | Cecilia Jamasmie, Mining.com

Risks related to occupational health and safety are more prevalent than human rights abuses and conflict financing among global artisanal and small-scale miners (ASM), a new study by German supply chain auditor RCS Global…

Liberia: Locals Seek Justice against Oil Palm Companies

October 21, 2019 | William Q. Harmon, Observer

Representatives from communities embroiled in land disputes with oil palm plantations have visited the Netherlands to call on the Dutch banks facilitating these companies’ operations to take action.

Palestine: Bedouin Kids Join Global Climate Strike in Palestine’s First Extinction Rebellion Protest

October 19, 2019 | International Solidarity Movement

Bedouin children in the West Bank joined global climate protests yesterday, calling out the Israeli occupation’s role in exacerbating the effects of climate change on Palestinians.

Myanmar: E-Commerce Threat for Myanmar’s Jade

October 19, 2019 | Jason Thomas, Asean Post

As if human rights abuses, corruption charges and deadly landslides haven’t hurt the industry enough, Myanmar’s multi-billion-dollar jade and gemstone industry now has to deal with the challenges of e-commerce.

Myanmar: Myanmar Angers Coal Region Residents by Extending Life of Polluting Chinese-Run Mine

October 17, 2019 | Radio Free Asia

Residents of Tigyit village tract in Myanmar’s northern Shan state are up in arms over the central government’s decision in August to extend the operation period of a Chinese-owned coal-fired power plant that…

Blogs & Opinion

In the last two weeks, 7 blogs & opinion pieces on environmental peacebuilding were posted on our website.

Fisheries Management: A Possible Venue for Navigating Fisheries Conflicts in the Indian Ocean

February 10, 2020 | Isigi Kadagi, Zachary Lien, and Cullen Hendrix

A significant increase in fisheries-related conflicts in the Indian Ocean since 2000 is heightening regional tensions.

Investing in Resilience and Food Security Leads to Peace

February 5, 2020 | Abebe Haile-Gabriel

In a region beset with conflict, the uptick of numbers paint a grim foreboding.

Unsung Sheroes, Climate Action, and the Global Peace and Security Agendas

February 4, 2020 | Marisa O. Ensor

“We’re fighting for our lands, for our water, for our lives,” said an indigenous woman from Colombia, describing her work as an environmental defender.

Mother Nature Scoffs at Trump's Mideast Peace Plan

February 4, 2020 | Thomas L. Friedman

To get a different perspective on the Trump-Kushner peace plan, I decided to call the best Middle East analyst I know. Her name is Mother Nature.

To Reduce Future Conflicts over Water, Reconceptualize “Shared Waters”

February 3, 2020 | Aaron Wolf and Mckenna Coffey

In the years ahead, climate change and the proliferation of new technologies and information availability will require us to reshape our vision of shared waters.

Afghanistan's Mineral Resources Are a Lost Opportunity and a Threat

February 1, 2020 | Ahmad Shah Katawazai

Torn by four decades of war and desperate poverty, Afghanistan is believed to be sitting on one of the richest troves of minerals in the world.

Environmental Science and National Security: Overcoming Barriers to Connecting Research with Policy

January 31, 2020 | Winter Wilson

Beginning with the end of the Cold War, a relatively small but growing number of scholars began to investigate the connections between environmental change, conflict, peace, and changing notions of security.

Sharing and Posting Materials

The strength of the knowledge platform depends on submissions and suggestions on contents from users. To share publications and information on events, job opportunities, and other announcements, please contact share@environmentalpeacebuilding.org. Please also feel free to share ideas on how the platform can be further improved to meet your needs.

About Our Community of Practice

Environmental Peacebuilding is a knowledge platform and global community of practice on natural resources, conflict, and peace, hosted by the Environmental Peacebuilding Association. The platform unites a global network of researchers, practitioners, and decision makers in sharing experiences and lessons from managing natural resources in fragile states and conflict-affected settings. The platform also helps people to access new publications on the topic, conduct new research, and participate in events to support the growth of the field. As part of our Community of Practice, we bring you biweekly updates on recent developments, including news about our program as well as links to new publications, upcoming conferences and events, and job openings.

Please visit us at www.environmentalpeacebuilding.org for more information.

Compiled by Alex Boyce, Rollin Bresson, Elen Bueno, Jasmine Chen, Charlotte Collins, Adrienne Derstine, Jordan Dieni, Kevin Eggert, Flavia Eichmann, Giovanni Gio, Nina Hamilton, Desirée De Haven, Liz Hessami, Ellen Johnson, Chiara Maero, Marie Mavrikios, Julia Monsarrat, and Alex Paige
Edited by Joel Young
Coordinated by Sierra Killian and Rachel Stromsta
Design by Graham Campbell
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