Post on 29-Jun-2020
Newsletter Issue No. 2/2015
Newsletter Edition 2/2015 1
Focus: Climate Diplomacy
Regional Highlights
Topics
Tools
U.S. and Transatlantic Perspectives on Climate Security:
Video Interview with Michael Werz
The Earth Security Index 2015
China’s Dams and Regional Security Implications
Harnessing Natural Resources for Inclusive Growth
Sea Change: Maritime Geopolitics in the Indo-Pacific
Underfunded, Underprepared, Underwater? Cities at Risk
The Global E-Waste Monitor 2014
EEA’s Assessment of Global Megatrends
Cause Behind African Migrant Flood Has Terrifying Impli-
cations for the World
Resilience Needs to be New Compass for Foreign Policy to
Create a New Climate for Peace
by Lukas Rüttinger and Dennis Tänzler, adelphi
Liveability and Sustainability: the Core of Singapore’s
Climate Diplomacy with Cities
by Gianna Gayle Herrera Amul and Maxim Shrestha, Centre of Non-Tradi-
tional Security (NTS) Studies
Farmers, Drought and Gas Development in Australia
by Dr. Will Rifkin, Sustainable Minerals Institute, University of Queensland
Right to Prior Consultation: Challenges and Opportunities
for Stakeholders in the Andean Region
by Regine Mader, Deutsche Gesellschaft für internationale Zusammen-
arbeit (GIZ)
A project by: Supported by:
Asia
Oceania and Pacific
Publications and Resources
Legal Notice / Contact
Resilient Cities 2015
UN General Assembly High-Level Event on Climate
Change
Human Migration and the Environment: Futures, Politics,
Invention
Upcoming Events
Environment and Migration
South America
Mediation in Natural Resources and Land Conflicts
Interview with Michael Brown, UN Senior Mediation Expert
by Linnea Bennett, New Security Beat
Conflict Transformation
by Michael Werz and Max Hoffman, Center for American Progress
Focus: Climate Diplomacy
Newsletter Edition 2/2015 2
The G7 Foreign Ministers can take a leading role in avoiding
the increased weakening and even total collapse of states
and societies threatened by fragility challenges. Resilience
- understood as the existential ability of a nation or society
to cope with major crises - has to become the compass for
foreign policy.
This is one of the key recommendations of the recent report
commissioned by interested G7 Foreign Ministries and
authored by an international research consortium from
Germany, France, Great Britain and the USA, led by think
tank adelphi. These recommendations also fed into the final
communiqué of the G7 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Lübeck
on 14-15 April 2015.
Climate impacts are intensifying crises and conflicts around
the world
One central finding of the report is that there are no „climate
wars“, as some experts claim. However, we are increasingly
being confronted with crises and conflicts that are inten-
sified by climate change. The following examples give an
indication of what the future could look like:
Syria: Between 2006 and 2011 Syria suffered a serious
drought destroying many people‘s livelihoods, especially
in rural areas: Almost 75 percent of Syria‘s farmers lost their
harvest. Many fled to the cities and the government failed
to respond to the resulting humanitarian crisis. Matters
came to a boil as a result of the influence of the Arab Spring
combined with grievances against the authoritarian regime
that had built up over the years.
Thailand: Heavy monsoon rains in 2011 led to flooding in 26
provinces, which affected two million people. The political
landscape was already fragile after violent protests bet-
ween 2008 and 2010. Many considered the government‘s
attempts at managing the disaster to be misguided and
inequitable. Hundreds of people protested the unfair dis-
tribution of aid supplies and the protests continued until a
military coup occurred in 2013.
At the foundation of these and many similar examples are
seven compound risks that interact in complex ways and
extend across borders:
1. Local resource competition: As the pressure on natural
resources increases, competition can lead to instability
and even violent conflict in the absence of effective
dispute resolution.
2. Livelihood insecurity and migration: Climate change
will increase human insecurity for people who depend
on natural resources for their livelihoods, which could
push them to migrate or turn to illegal sources of in-
come.
3. Extreme weather events and disasters will exacerbate
fragility challenges and can increase people‘s vulne-
Resilience Needs to be New Compass for Foreign Policy to Create a New Climate for Peaceby Lukas Rüttinger and Dennis Tänzler, adelphi
Photo by drpnncpptak / Shutterstock
“We are increasingly being confronted with crises and conflicts that are intensified by
climate change. ”
Newsletter Edition 2/2015 3
rability and grievances, especially in conflict-affected
situations.
4. Volatile food prices and provision: Climate change is
highly likely to disrupt food production in many regions,
increasing prices and market volatility, and heightening
the risk of protests, riots, and civil conflict.
5. Transboundary water management: Transboundary
waters are frequently a source of tension; as demand
grows and climate impacts affect availability and quality,
competition over water use will likely increase the pres-
sure on existing governance structures.
6. Sea-level rise and coastal degradation: Rising sea
levels will threaten the viability of low-lying areas even
before they are submerged, leading to social disrup-
tion, displacement and migration, while disagreements
over maritime boundaries
and ocean resources may
increase.
7. Unintended effects of
climate policies: As climate adaptation and mitigation
policies are more broadly implemented, the risks of
unintended negative effects - particularly in fragile con-
texts - will also increase.
Resilience as new compass for foreign policy
The G7 Foreign Ministers can take a leading role in avoiding
the increased weakening and even total collapse of states
and societies threatened by fragility challenges. Resilience
- understood as the existential ability of a nation or society
to cope with major crises - has to become the compass for
foreign policy.
The essential tools for this are already available to the inter-
national community in the policy fields of climate adapta-
tion, development, humanitarian aid and peacebuilding.
However, a closer inspection reveals that the systems for
supporting affected states often operate independently of
each other. Therefore, the potential for concentrated efforts
is insufficiently exploited.
Strengthened engagement of G7 states towards resilience
An integrated policy process means actively combining and
coordinating climate change adaptation, humanitarian aid,
peacebuilding and conflict prevention. We as authors of the
report „A New Climate for Peace“ recommend a range of
entry points:
• Integration begins at home: The G7 governments need
to start with integrating climate and fragility risks into
their ministries‘ relevant planning, implementation and
evaluation processes.
• Enhance G7 cooperation, come together for a new
dialogue: Transboundary problems can best be solved
through coordinated international measures to which a
high-level G7 Task Force can contribute.
• Set a global resilience agenda:
The G7 governments can work
together to contribute towards
breaking down sectoral bar-
riers that hinder comprehensive
approaches to climate-fragility risks. A meaningful peace
dividend can be generated through support for conflict-
sensitive adaptation policies.
• Partner for resilience: Close cooperation between dif-
ferent initiatives can strengthen resilience at the global
level and reduce fragility at the local level. The G7 need
to forge close partnerships with local actors in states
affected by fragility.
Undoubtedly, the comprehensive reduction of global green-
house gas emissions remains essential to limit the threat
of climate change risks. However, in the face of irreversible
changes in climate, there is an urgent need for effective
measures to face these risks.
The full articles by Lukas Rüttiger and Dennis Tänzler originally
appeared on The Blog of the Huffington Post.
Please download the executive summary of the report here and
visit the related blog.
A recent IISD publication on climate-resilient peacebuilding
offers further insights.
“The G7 Foreign Ministers can take a leading role in avoiding the increased weakening and
even total collapse of states.”
Newsletter Edition 2/2015 4
Regional Highlights: South America
Right to Prior Consultation: Challenges and Opportunities for Stakeholders in the Andean Regionby Regine Mader, Deutsche Gesellschaft für internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ)
The indigenous peoples’ right to prior consultation is being
discussed in Latin America. There has been progress with
norms and regulations in some countries, while others have
regulation initiatives in different phases of approval. Despite
interest shown by governments, profound difficulties are
preventing enforcement of this right according to the
minimum international standards for protecting indigenous
peoples. Making this right an everyday practice requires
commitment to these standards by the state, indigenous
peoples and companies as well as resolving some critical
nodes identified when implementing consultation pro-
cesses.
The Second International Meeting on the ‘Right to Prior
Consultation in Practice: Challenges and Opportunities
for Stakeholders in the Andean Region’ was organized by
German Technical Cooperation (GIZ), the Spanish Interna-
tional Development Cooperation Agency (AECID), the Office
of the Human Rights High Commissioner (UNHRC) and the
UN Global Compact Regional Centre for Latin America on
27 and 28 October 2014 in Cartagena de Indias, Colombia in
order to generate dialogue among sectors involved directly
with this issue.
Government representatives from numerous countries of
the Andean Region attended, as well as representatives of
organizations, indigenous communities and extraction-
based companies operating in countries of the region.
The international meeting pursued the goal of promoting
dialogue among indigenous peoples, states and companies
to find shared understanding of the scope of this right and
the procedures best suited to enforcing it on the basis of
the recognized rights of indigenous people.
During the meeting, the three sectors discussed the challen-
ges and opportunities of consultation processes, with input
from each sector. Within this framework, one primary reflec-
tion during discussions has been the scope of the right to
consultation. Consultation, it was discussed, cannot be vie-
wed as an isolated policy or action but must be understood
as an overarching requirement for states to create public
policies favouring dialogue and for involving indigenous
peoples. Consultation must be applied differently in each
country because there are different institutional designs.
Trust among the stakeholders is a key element for ensuring
any consultation’s success. There is much work to be done
to re-establish trust between states and indigenous peoples
and to generate dialogue that can promote trust between
indigenous peoples and companies. The public institu-
tions responsible for consultation processes are not strong
enough and must be reinforced. The ombudsman function
merits special attention, since these public advocates could
play a major role in supervision, mediation and conflict reso-
lution, despite their current institutional weaknesses.
As for corporate social responsibility, companies will have
to make a huge effort to put it into practice within the due
diligence framework established by the United Nations Gui-
ding Principles on Business and Human Rights, also known
as the “Ruggie Principles”. Moreover, environmental impact
studies, generally conducted by companies, must be done
responsibly and attempt to understand the realities faced
by communities.
Photo by CIFOR/Flickr.com
“Trust among the stakeholders is a key element for ensuring any consultation’s success.”
Newsletter Edition 2/2015 5
The event ended by assessing the results yielded by the
dialogue and proposing recommendations for the future,
contrasting particular opinions and preparing an open list
of relevant issues regarding prior consultation to be consi-
dered from now on. It is very important for these dialogues
to continue with the cooperation of international agencies
that help bring stakeholders together.
Dialogue must also begin to address conflicts and solutions
to them based on an analysis of real-life cases. Such discus-
sions must focus on concrete cases, which can be presented
after rigorous, systematic analysis, validated by the players
involved in the dialogue. Another proposal was to move
forward in the effort of collectively recognizing the rights of
indigenous peoples and adopting relevant processes and
strategies to exercise these rights.
It was proposed to hold these dialogues in national-level
settings and to strengthen relations between the state and
indigenous peoples. It was suggested that indicators to
measure process quality, standard compliance and results
of prior consultation should be generated, which can be
validated and monitored by all stakeholders. Concomitantly,
mechanisms should be created to monitor, follow up and
validate these processes. Another important recommenda-
tion was to reinforce the presence of high-level govern-
mental representatives and involve private-sector decision-
makers. Finally, it was proposed to develop a diploma
programme for training on prior consultation, covering the
standards and concrete cases, which representatives of indi-
genous peoples, states and companies could attend jointly.
The stakeholders felt the meeting had achieved positive
results, yielding an assertive dialogue about a heated,
conflict-ridden issue. This has opened up the possibility of
continuing with this process and addressing the issues that
divide stakeholders and generate conflicts in the implemen-
tation of consultation processes.
Regional Highlights: Oceania and Pacific
Farmers, Drought and Gas Development in Australiaby Dr. Will Rifkin, Sustainable Minerals Institute, University of Queensland
The impact on farmers of drought exacerbated by climate
change can be mitigated by aspects of certain forms of re-
source extraction. However, the Australian experience sug-
gests that such measures involve trade-offs. These trade-offs
illustrate how our energy choices are becoming increasingly
complex as we select to extract resources that are closer to
where those in first world live and work.
It goes without saying that climate change is presenting
farmers with rising levels of uncertainty. Rain that their
crops need may not arrive when expected, there could be
too little, or flooding could wash away valuable topsoil and
disrupt careful land contouring. Some would argue that far-
mers can irrigate using water from lakes, rivers and streams
as well as aquifers – this last being a key resource for many
Australian farmers.
Yet, research is finding that some of these sources may not
be replenished to the extent that they expect, provide the
same quality of water that farmers are used to or be avail-
able within government permit regimes.
Impacts of drought on the world’s driest inhabited conti-
Photo by Sam Ilić/Flickr.com
nent, Australia, can potentially be mitigated with the help of
development of onshore natural gas. This natural gas from
seams of coal is being exploited by multi-national joint ven-
tures, who are providing farmers with what some are giving
the exaggerated title of ‘drought proofing’.
These operations bring saline groundwater to the surface
to enable release of the natural gas. However, the industry’s
offer to farmers is not in the form of the desalinated water
per se. Rather, it is in the form of payment for access to
a farmer’s land as well as opportunities for off-farm em-
ployment and income. The access payments become a
steady source of revenue from the time that a ‘conduct and
Newsletter Edition 2/2015 6
compensation agreement’ is implemented until the wells
are decommissioned ten, twenty, or thirty years later. Over
3,000 of these conduct and compensation agreements have
resulted from Queensland’s laws about land access.
In Australia, underground mineral resources, oil, and gas
belong to the government, which leases access to extract
them. In Queensland, such leases have fostered multi-billion
dollar projects tapping natural gas resources. These projects
require gasfields totalling thousands of wells along with as-
sociated pipelines and shipping facilities. The construction
of needed roads, pipelines, well pads, and gas compression
stations on farmland causes impacts, and the government
regulator requires the companies involved to compensate
landholders for them.
Operating two businesses on one landscape presents
challenges. Research at the University of Queensland has
surfaced concerns expressed by farmers about the time
required to negotiate these land access agreements and
about occupational safety, with an unfamiliar industrial
operation now occurring on their land. Farmers cite a need
for increased vigilance about weeds, whose seeds can be
carried onto a farm by resource company vehicles accessing
well sites. Runoff patterns can change as access roads and
pipeline rights of way are put in place. Parts of fields may
need to be planted, maintained and harvested in more
labour intensive ways as farm machinery must deviate from
defined paths to avoid well pads. Further, amenity can be
lost, as the countryside is being perceived as less peaceful
and uncluttered. There is also uncertainty about the quanti-
ty and quality of groundwater available, given the industry’s
extraction of saline water from deep aquifers.
Farmers interviewed explained that ‘co-existence’ with
resource companies requires a sense of equality, candour,
mutual respect, and integrity. Research has found, unsur-
prisingly, that such a trusting relationship – though an
aspiration among industry peak bodies – can be hard to
implement in daily practice by a large, multi-national joint
venture that is subcontracting with a range of different
companies for much of the construction.
Such sharing of the landscape between these first-world
farmers and resource companies includes both peril and
promise. The income stream that farmers derive by enabling
access to their land for resource development might help
to compensate for economic uncertainties attributed to a
changing climate. However, the dimensions and practices of
effective ‘co-existence’ need to be articulated.
“Co-existence with resource companies requires a sense of equality, candour, mutual respect,
and integrity.”
Regional Highlights: Asia
Liveability and Sustainability: the Core of Singapore’s Climate Diplomacy with Citiesby Gianna Gayle Herrera Amul and Maxim Shrestha, Centre of Non-Traditional Security (NTS) Studies
Global cities like Singapore have the unique opportunity to
contribute in the learning from and sharing of best practices
in urban sustainability and liveability. As a city-state that
considers itself a living laboratory for greener and cleaner
urban living, Singapore has been making strides in deve-
loping itself into a model for a green urban economy. Over
time it is likely to also become an important test-bed for
climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies from
which other cities and urban centres could potentially learn.
Forums such as the Singapore Sustainability Symposium Photo by Uwe Schwarzbach
The research cited here is supported by the University of Queensland’s Centre for Coal Seam Gas, which is funded by the gas industry and the University. The views expressed in this article are the author’s, not the sponsors’ or the University’s.
Newsletter Edition 2/2015 7
(S3), an annual event hosted by Nanyang Technological
University in collaboration with other public and private
Singaporean institutions, have continuously added to the
city-state’s efforts in promoting best practices in the field of
urban planning and development. Events like S3 not only
serve as a useful platform for knowledge exchange but also
help Singapore assume a leadership role in promoting a
green, sustainable and liveable city agenda. Recommenda-
tions and inputs from this year’s S3, held on 9-11 April 2015,
will be presented at the next World Cities Summit in July
2016.
Discussions at this year’s S3 centred on climate adaptation,
green/smart city planning and development, upgrading of
urban centres toward more climate friendly infrastructure
and building standards, and green growth. Funding options,
both from traditional sources like
multilateral financial institutions
as well as innovative examples
like impact investing from diffe-
rent regions, were also raised and discussed.
Along with the outputs of the upcoming COP21 in Paris la-
ter this year, these issues will hopefully further contribute to
discussions on the future of cities and urban environments
at the World Cities Summit in 2016. Singapore, through
the Ministry of National Development, Singapore’s Urban
Redevelopment Authority (URA) and the Centre for Liveable
Cities, has hosted the World Cities Summit since 2008. Part
of the biennial program also includes the World Cities Sum-
mit Mayors Forum as well as the awarding of the Lee Kuan
Yew (LKY) World City Prize, given to cities with outstanding
achievements and contributions towards the development
of sustainable urban communities. In the past, this has been
“Singapore has been making strides in developing itself into a model for a green urban
economy.“
awarded to the cities of Bilbao (2010), New York (2012), and
Suzhou (2014).
The mandated role of the Centre for Liveable Cities, which
was established in 2008, is centred on ‘distilling, creating
and sharing knowledge on liveable and sustainable cities’.
Aside from the World Cities Summit, the Centre for Liveable
Cities with the support of the Temasek Foundation is also
involved in training city leaders from all over the world to
learn from Singapore’s best practices in urban planning, de-
velopment and governance through the international arm
of the Leaders in Urban Governance Programme (LUGP) and
the City Executive Leaders Programme (City EXCEL).
At the S3 this year, the Singapore government presented
its 2015 Sustainable Singa-
pore Blueprint which includes a
host of climate mitigation and
adaptation measures, based
on principles of liveability and green growth. For example,
Singapore aims to increase the number of buildings with
a Building and Construction Authority (BCA) Green Mark
Certified rating from 21.9% in 2013 to 80% by 2030.
By hosting and engaging other cities from around the
world, Singapore has positioned itself as one of the major
players in urban sustainability and city networking.
Events like S3 as well as World Cities Summit are very much
part of Singapore’s larger city-to-city diplomacy and coope-
ration efforts. It has long championed itself as a model city
for others to follow and learn from, and such efforts cons-
titute its continuous exercise in branding itself as a city for
the future.
Topics: Environment and Migration
Cause Behind African Migrant Flood Has Terrifying Implications for the Worldby Michael Werz and Max Hoffman, Center for American Progress
The migrant crisis in the Mediterranean is symptomatic
of deep dislocation in the Sahel region and sub-Saharan
Africa – dislocation exacerbated by climate change. Climate
change is affecting such basic environmental conditions as
rainfall patterns and temperatures and is contributing to
more frequent natural disasters like floods and droughts.
Over the long term, these changing conditions can under-
mine the rural livelihoods of farming, herding and fishing.
The resulting rural dislocation is a factor in people’s deci-
sions to migrate.
Newsletter Edition 2/2015 8
Migratory decisions are complex, of course, and nobody
would argue that climate change is the only factor driving
them. But climate change cannot be ignored. The second-
order effects of climate change — undermined agriculture
and competition for water and food resources — can contri-
bute to instability and to higher numbers of migrants.
These are the conclusions of our regional report on Nor-
thwest Africa, published in 2012, which examined the root
causes of tragedies like that of the drowning deaths of
about 800 migrants attempting to reach Europe by boat via
the Mediterranean.
We found that underlying climate and demographic trends
can squeeze the margins of life at the family and commu-
nity levels, contribute to decisions to migrate, heighten
conflicts over basic resources and threaten state structures
and regional stability. We also found that climate challenges,
longstanding migratory routes and security concerns are
linked to the Maghreb, the Sahel region and the Niger Delta
in compelling ways.
In northwest Africa, climate change will exacerbate difficul-
ties in areas already facing numerous environmental and
developmental challenges. Overall, up to 250 million people
in Africa are projected to suffer from water and food insecu-
rity in the 21st century. In the Sahel region, three-quarters
of rain-fed arable land will be greatly affected by climate
change. Droughts and flooding are already more frequent
in Niger and northern Nigeria, along with temperature rises
that jeopardize crucial rural activities.
Photo by Martchan / Shutterstock
The Niger River faces diminishing flows of roughly 10
percent, which numerous new dam projects will only
worsen. If current water consumption trends continue,
withdrawals from the Niger basin will increase sixfold by
2025, with profound implications for Nigeria. Lake Chad,
which supports 25 million people, is drying up and is one-
twentieth of its size in 1960. Northern Algeria, home to most
of the country’s population and agriculture, may see rainfall
reductions of 10 percent to 20 percent by 2025. Rainfall in
Morocco is expected to decrease by 20 percent by the end
of the century.
And as previously mentioned, North Africa and sub-Saharan
Africa are tied together by longstanding and well-estab-
lished migratory routes. As early as 2011, research indicated
that about 65,000 migrants passed through Agadez, Niger,
on their way north to Algeria, Morocco and Europe each
year. As climate change takes a toll on farming, herding and
fishing, undermining livelihoods and contributing to deci-
sions to migrate, these numbers could grow larger.
Nigeria is losing more than 1,350 square miles of land to
desertification each year, a pace that may increase with cli-
mate change. With 70 percent of Nigeria’s population reliant
on agriculture for its livelihood, and 90 percent of Niger’s
workforce reliant on rain-fed agriculture, desertification
represents a fundamental threat to rural life. Indeed, the
line at which rainfall maintains sufficient groundwater for
farming has been shifting south in recent years, according
to United Nations reports.
These are not the abstract complaints of climate scientists;
such developments are profoundly disruptive in a region
dependent on agriculture. In Niger, frequent droughts have
impoverished many and contributed to migration. When
faced with deteriorating conditions, humans have long
turned to migration; it is a basic adaptive mechanism.
These trends in combination with projected rapid populati-
on growth throughout the Sahel region and West Africa are
increasing the strain on the countries along this migratory
“Any effort to address the migrant tragedy playing out in the Mediterranean must address
these deeper-root causes.”
Newsletter Edition 2/2015 9
Topics: Conflict Transformation
Mediation in Natural Resources and Land ConflictsInterview with Michael Brown, UN Senior Mediation Expert by Linnea Bennett, New Security Beat
Natural resources rarely feature during peacebuilding
efforts, but there is growing evidence that this is a mistake.
The UN Environment Program and Department of Political
Affairs recently created a Guide to natural resources for con-
flict mediators. Michael Brown is one of the authors of the
Guide and senior mediation expert in natural resources and
land conflicts for the UN.
Why has the UN decided to launch a mediation guide about
natural resources and conflict at this particular point in
time?
It is clear that natural resources and land play very impor-
tant roles in conflicts around the world – whether as root
cause, driver or exacerbating factor – yet the issues are in
need of dramatically more attention from the international
system. On top of this, it is very clear to many informed ob-
servers that mediation is a tool ideally suited to address re-
source conflicts, yet it is woefully underutilized. The Depart-
ment of Political Affairs and the Environment Programme
decided to combine forces in order to consolidate decades
of hands-on experience and lessons learned in the field.
You say the international community has not given enough
attention to trying to resolve natural resource conflicts. Why
is that?
The dual nature of these disputes is one part of the answer.
On one hand, resource disputes tend to be technically
complex. The issues at play typically involve some mix of
complex technical, scientific, economic and legal informa-
tion. On the other hand, resource disputes tend to be very
politically sensitive. Resources tend to be high value and
resource disputes frequently involve historically and cultu-
rally important territories. Powerful actors often have stakes
to claim.
The technical actors frequently cannot engage because the
conflicts are too politically sensitive for a technical organi-
zation, while political actors tend to veer away because the
technical issues are too complex for their in-house capacity
and way of approaching problems. As a result of this dy-
namic – along with many other factors – resource disputes
often fall through the cracks in the international system or
are ignored altogether.
Photo by zen Sutherland / Flickr.com
route. Niger has the world’s second-highest fertility rate,
with a median age of just 15 years, and its population is
expected to quadruple in the next century. Nigeria’s popu-
lation, meanwhile, is expected to double by 2040. Popula-
tion growth increases the strain on already scarce natural
resources like water, land and food and further contributes
to migratory decisions.
Any effort to address the migrant tragedy playing out in the
Mediterranean must address and incorporate these deeper-
root causes. Though the warning signs have long been
evident, policymakers still tend to focus on the symptoms
rather than the causes.
This article originally appeared on the Reuters Blog.
The related study offers insights into climate change, migration and con-flict in Northwest Africa.
Newsletter Edition 2/2015 10
Can you elaborate on why mediation is particularly well
suited to natural resource disputes?
A mediation process in the international domain is non-
adversarial, voluntary and consensus-based in nature. The
parties not only agree with the outcome but they typically
have a heavy hand in creating the solution to their problem.
These characteristics are perfectly suited to politically sensi-
tive disputes where long-term relationships are important.
Mediation is also an extremely flexible approach to dispute
resolution that puts a wide range of tools, techniques, and
processes in the hands of the mediator. This flexibility pro-
vides plenty of room to bring in technical information and
experts that can be
seen as impartial
and fair to all sides,
or to use collabo-
rative approaches
to data collection,
analysis, or monito-
ring.
Another important
issue is the histori-
cal frustration as-
sociated with most
complicated natural
resource conflicts. A third party impartial mediator who can
bring legitimacy and perceived fairness to a problem with a
history of failed resolution can be a game-changer.
What is a compelling example of natural resource ma-
nagement that can be a tool for peacebuilding or conflict
management?
The concept of “peace parks” is becoming more common as
an approach to strengthen relations through joint manage-
ment of a conservation or multi-use area in a shared border
zone with a history of conflict. The Guide details the case
study of a transboundary condor conservation corridor
between Ecuador and Peru that was part of an integrated
resolution to a 150-year-long violent border dispute.
Another example relates to the tools and approaches of
watershed management. Integrated Water Resources
Management, a coordinated and integrated approach to
manage water, land and related resources in an equitable
and sustainable manner within the framework of a water
basin, is very much in sync with peacebuilding and conflict
prevention. In Sudan, UN and government partners reco-
gnize the importance and relevance of these principles to
the water crisis and are trying to link them in parallel with
the political process in the hope of delivering a more lasting
peace. Integrated Water Resources Management has also
been used by the Nile Basin Initiative with its 10 basin states.
What role do you foresee for natural resource management
and peacebuilding going forward, especially in the context
of climate change and growing demand?
We know that natural resource and land-related conflicts
will become increasingly prevalent and challenging as a re-
sult of the combined effects of climate change and growing
demand for resources.
From a resource mediation perspective, this Guide high-
lights the fundamental importance of more widespread use
of collaborative approaches to manage resources through
processes that are well informed by accurate and fair scien-
tific data and managed in ways that are inclusive, effective,
and transparent.
Times are not easy in the peacebuilding and resources
world, and they will not get easier in the coming years. But
we know there are certain approaches and tools that have
proven to be effective in preventing and resolving re-
source conflicts, and my deep hope is that the international
community will use these more actively when and where
appropriate.
“Mediation is a tool ideally suited to address resource conflicts, yet it is woefully
underutilized.”
The full version of this interview appeared on New Security Beat. The Guide for mediation practitioners is available online.
The 6th Annual Global Forum on Urban Resilience and
Adaptation, organised by the ICLEI Secretariat, will include
topics like integrated adaptation planning, applying infor-
mation and communication technologies, eco-system based
adaptation and resilient public health systems, among many
others. The Program Booklet is available online.
Bonn, Germany (8-10 June 2015)
Resilient Cities 2015
The UN General Assembly President convenes a High-Level
Event to create an additional opportunity for exchange and
help scale up climate action in the run-up to the UNFCCC
COP21 in Paris. Enhancing mitigation and adaptation,
strengthening resilience, creating enabling frameworks
for climate action, mobilising climate finance and building
capacity are some of the topics of the meeting. Member
states, UN agencies and representatives of different societal
spheres are invited to participate at the highest level.
New York, USA (29 June 2015)
UN General Assembly High-Level Event on Climate Change
Upcoming Events
Photo by Kamira /Shutterstock
Publications and Resources
U.S. and Transatlantic Perspectives on Climate Security: Video Interview with Michael Werz
How has climate security policy in the U.S. developed? Michael Werz, Center for American Pro-gress, assesses milestones such as the Pentagon’s 2010 Quadrennial Defense Review. He also compares the respective strengths of American and European counterparts and how these offer opportunities for meaningful, complementary transat-lantic cooperation.
The Earth Security Index 2015
This year’s Earth Security Index (ESI) highlights sustainability pres-sures on commodity trade world-wide. The authors take a closer look at case studies that highlight transboundary dependencies. Emerging economies face multiple environmental issues, which at the same time offer potential for sustainable investment. The report highlights the need for corporate consideration of commodity-related risks and of public-private, regional cooperation strategies.
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This conference at the University of Durham aims to bring
together various interested actor groups, including scholars
of multiple disciplines, to open a wider perspective on envi-
ronment and migration. Apart from current policy and legal
debate, issues of knowledge, power and innovation are at
the core of the event. For the list of keynote speakers and
further details, please visit the conference website.
Durham University, UK (28 June – 1 July 2015)
Human Migration and the Environment: Futures, Politics, Invention
Harnessing Natural Resources for Inclusive Growth
Researchers from the LSE Internatio-nal Growth Centre outline the policies that are needed to make the exploitation of natural resources a driver of inclusive growth. Appropriate structures need to be created in the five re-source management areas – discovering,
exploiting, taxing, ‘investing in investing’ and investing. The authors conclude with seven specific policy recommendations.
China’s Dams and Regional Security Implications
This Issue Brief published by the Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies offers an Indian perspective on the Chinese expansive policy of dam construction. It analyses social, environmental and transboundary effects of hydropo-
wer and river diversion projects. The paper explains why the needs of the Chinese population and transboundary cooperation channels should gain more importance.
Sea Change: Maritime Geopolitics in the Indo-Pacific
This volume by the Stimson Center emerged from exchanges between scholars and practitioners during a three-day workshop in India. The publication reflects the growing geo-political complexity in the Indo-Paci-fic, mapping the numerous trends of socio-economic and environmental change and pointing towards the resulting challenges of maritime governance. The natural resources dimension is explicitly reflected in a
chapter on energy exploitation as well as in a piece on fisheries, food security and the influence of climate change.
Underfunded, Underprepared, Under-water? Cities at Risk
This E3G study draws attention to the fact that cities are ill-prepared to face possible climate change impacts. Little knowledge of local impacts exists, very few cities have an adequate adaptation stra-tegy and most of them also lack resources to improve resilience. The authors call for more support and better risk governance with clear responsibilities in order to respond to these challenges.
Photo by Enough Project / Flickr.com
The Global E-Waste Monitor 2014
The Institute for the Advanced Stu-dies of Sustainability at the United Nations University has published the first assessment of the global status of e-waste. This should provide a basis for informed policy making. The report includes data on quantity, recycling, as well as on the financial and toxic potential of e-waste. Regional data and in-ternational e-waste flows are also part of the study.
EEA’s Assessment of Global Megatrends
As a part of its regular compre-hensive Environment Status and Outlook that provides guidance for EU environmental policy for a five-year period, the European En-vironment Agency has published an Assessment of Global Mega-trends. The report explores eleven megatrends (e.g. urbanisation, global resource competition) and how these are interlinked with dynamics in the EU. It contributes to a holistic picture of environ-mental challenges the EU faces in an interdependent world.
Photo by Rob Loftis / Flickr.com
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Editorial team:
Paola Adriázola, Clementine Burnley, Alexander Carius,
Laura Griestop, Daria Ivleva, Annika Kramer, Lukas Rüttinger,
Marc Schuetz, Dennis Tänzler, Regina Treutwein, Stephan
Wolters. Editing support by Anya Malhotra.
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