Environmental Peacebuilding Association

Blogs & Opinions

Left Behind: Why Afghanistan Cannot Tackle Climate Change Alone

Apr 3, 2025 | Assem Mayar

Afghanistan is among the ten countries that have historically received inadequate climate funding, alongside Chad, South Sudan, Somalia, Niger, Mali, Yemen, Ethiopia, Uganda and Iraq.…

From Conflict to Coexistence: Thriving Together with Wildlife

Mar 31, 2025 | Nilanga Jayasinghe

Around the world, people and wildlife are sharing space more than ever before. Since 2021, over half of Earth’s terrestrial surface has been shared by…

In War-Torn Sudan, a Gold Mining Boom Takes a Human Toll

Mar 26, 2025 | Omnia Saed and Fred Pearce

As civil war rages in Sudan, a surge in gold production is helping finance and arm the warring factions. Most of the mining is done…

Military Climate Action Has Never Been More Urgent, Here’s Why

Mar 25, 2025 | Ellie Kinney

Ellie Kinney explores why ramping up military spending while military decarbonisation is in its infancy risks locking in carbon-intensive military equipment for decades, why spiralling…

War and Resource Grabbing, Two Sides of the Same Violence

Mar 24, 2025 | Edward Mukiibi

The winds of war are blowing more violently and more widely across the planet. The battle for resources draws the lines of world geopolitics, revealing…

Why a US-DRC Minerals-for-Security Deal Could Backfire

Mar 24, 2025 | Cullen S. Hendrix

In March 2025, the government of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) approached the Trump administration with a high-stakes proposal: a deal that would grant…

Harnessing the Benefits of Water Cooperation in an Increasingly Complex World

Mar 21, 2025 | Susanne Schmeier, Melissa McCracken, and Aaron Wolf

In an era of apparent decline in international cooperation and rising crises, freshwater offers an area in which joint approaches remain absolutely essential—especially since water…

Conflict Sensitive Engagement with Rangelands, Forests and Wetlands in South Sudan

Mar 21, 2025 | Martina Santschi and Conflict Sensitivity Resource Facility

This blog by Martina Santschi and CSRF calls for a conflict-sensitive engagement on communal land tenure, especially the use of rangelands, forests, and wetlands in…

The Critical Minerals Scramble: How the Race for Resources Is Fuelling Conflict and Inequality

Mar 20, 2025 | Emily Iona Stewart

The extraction and trade of some critical minerals is intensifying new geopolitical tensions and reinforcing long-standing patterns of exploitation. Many of these resources are concentrated…

Border Breakthrough: Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan End Decades of Dispute

Mar 19, 2025 | Yevgeniya Mikhailidi

When Kyrgyz President Sadyr Zhaparov and Tajik President Emomali Rahmon exchanged firm hugs after signing a historic border treaty last week, they signaled relief over…

The GROMADA Project: Citizen Science for Environmental Protection and Accountability in Ukraine

Mar 19, 2025 | Iryna Babanina and Doug Weir

Participatory environmental monitoring in areas affected by armed conflict has always been an important area of interest for CEOBS. Alongside documenting the severe environmental damage…

Can Climate-Resilient Agriculture Become an Engine for Syria’s Post-Conflict Recovery?

Mar 19, 2025 | Frans Schapendonk and Sara Rabie

Syria finds itself at a crossroads. Faced with the imminent need to prevent a relapse into renewed short-term insecurity, its government also must start to…

CEOBS’ Citizen Science Water Quality Hackathon for Ukraine

Mar 19, 2025 | Conflict and Environment Observatory

Armed conflicts disrupt water systems that are critical for human wellbeing and environmental safety, and since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, CEOBS has been documenting…

The Heat and the Fury: On the Frontlines of Climate Violence (Review)

Mar 16, 2025 | Marc Martorell Junyent

Although climate change does not directly cause conflict, it makes violence more likely to occur and to be more intense. The effects of climate change…

Environmental Peacebuilding: The Year in Review and the Year Ahead

Mar 14, 2025 | Angus Soderberg

As 2025 marches into its third month, the governance challenges that accompany rising demand for natural resources are not only on the front burner—they are…

‘Resource Curse’ in the Oil-Wealth Countries: Lessons from South Sudan, Venezuela, and Indonesia

Mar 12, 2025 | Lengga Pradipta

Countries with abundant natural resources, including fossil fuels, typically experience economic prosperity. For decades, many economists have claimed that resource richness significantly impacts economic development;…

From Navigational Disruptors to Ecocriminals: The Environmental Impact of the Houthi Anti-Shipping Campaign in the Red Sea

Mar 12, 2025 | Leonardo Jacopo Maria Mazzucco

The Houthi assaults on shipping traffic in the Red Sea are deliberate acts of marine pollution and environmental destruction. While security and economic considerations have…

Why South Asian Militaries Need to Reduce Their Carbon Footprint

Mar 12, 2025 | Mahmud Hussain

Militaries, which are among the biggest consumers of fuel, account for 5.5 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions. If the world’s militaries were a…

Seabed Diplomacy Stirs Global Currents of Cooperation and Conflict

Mar 11, 2025 | Melissa Metos

The seabed is not only a source for critical metals such as cobalt and nickel, but also for geopolitical tensions as both the U.S. and…

Women’s Land Rights: The Missing Key to Climate Action

Mar 8, 2025 | Lily Maxwell-Lwin
Common Dreams

This year’s International Women’s Day theme, #AccelerateAction, calls on the world to address the structural barriers slowing progress. If we are serious about climate, we…

In Praise of Matriarchal Environmental Wisdom

Mar 8, 2025 | Dr. Marisa O. Ensor
Georgetown University

Since 1911, March 8th has been International Women’s Day, observed around the world as a day to recognize women’s contributions to society and work towards…

Intelligence Analysis: The Risks, Opportunities, and Geopolitical Impact of DRC’s Critical Minerals Deal with the US & Europe

Mar 5, 2025 | Evarist Chahali

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has proposed a strategic exchange: offering the United States and Europe direct access to its vast mineral resources in…

Cyber and Climate Threats: Shared Risks, Resilience, and Response Strategies

Mar 5, 2025 | Carolyn Gruber and Allison Pytlak

Cybersecurity and climate security may seem unrelated, but both pose escalating risks that demand innovative, cross-sector solutions. The Stimson Center’s Cyber and Environmental Security Programs…

Resource Wars: The Hidden Fuel behind Most Conflicts

Mar 3, 2025 | Eman Fatima

From ancient conquests of land, agricultural products, and trade routes to modern geopolitical struggles for natural gas, oil, and minerals, the control over resources has…

Global Biodiversity at a Crossroads: The Need for Data in Conservation and Peacebuilding

Mar 3, 2025 | VisionRI

The World Bank’s study highlights the urgent need for reliable biodiversity data to drive conservation efforts, especially in conflict zones and transboundary ecosystems. It argues…

Property Rights in Colombia: Reality and Challenges

Mar 1, 2025 | Omar Hernandez

According to the International Property Rights Index, prepared by the Property Rights Alliance, Colombia ranks 80th out of 125 countries. While this result reflects some…

Navigating Security Challenges in the Horn of Africa: The Interplay of Climate Change, Resource Scarcity and Regional Stability

Feb 28, 2025 | Abraham Ename Minko

The Horn of Africa is a region marked by a complex tapestry of challenges, where political instability, economic underdevelopment, and social fragmentation intersect. In recent…