Environmental Pathways

to Peacemaking

Geoff Dabelko

Woodrow Wilson

International Center

for Scholars

•Propose turning the environment and conflict thesis on its head

•Can we exploit environmental problems strategically as part of broader peacemaking efforts?

Environmental Pathways to Peace?• Can we utilize the logic of environmental

interdependence to talk across lines of tension?– State to state– Civil society to civil society

• Use cooperative efforts and dialogue to manage environmental resources as a way to transform insecurities and create more peaceful relations between parties in dispute

• Help overcome political tensions through interaction, confidence building, and technical cooperation

Environmental Pathways Along the Conflict Continuum

1. Environment as conflict prevention2. Environment as lifeline in times of

conflict 3. Environment as essential ingredient

to peace agreement4. Environment as post-conflict trust

builder

Environmental Cooperation as Conflict Prevention

Nile Basin Initiative

0

37

56

414

96

628

436

7

157

Formal War

Military Acts

Hostile Acts

Verbal Hostility

Neutral

Verbal Suppport

Non-military Agreement

Military Support

International Water Treaty

Source: Adapted from Wolf et al. 2003 in Water Policy

1,700 State-to-State Water Interactions in Transboundary Basins, 1946-1999

Environment as Lifeline in Times of Conflict

Lifeline in times of conflict and tension

• Arctic Military Environment Cooperation (AMEC)

• Picnic Table Talks• Environmental management - HELCOM

Environmental Engagement to Gain New Strategic Partners

                                                                        

• CENTCOM in Central Asia

• US Military-Military bilaterals with Vietnam, India, Thailand, Central American countries

                                              

Environment as Essential Ingredient to Achieving Peace

Peru – Ecuadorborder

Cordillera del Condor

Transboundary Protected Area

Water didn’t get you into this mess but…

– Palestine-Israel

– India-Pakistan

Environment as Post-Conflict Confidence Builder

Peace Parks

UNEP Post-Conflict Assessment Unit

Some Key Challenges

• Transparency and participation – finding the right mix and the right time

• Doing environmental peacemaking without calling it environmental peacemaking or environmental security

• Integrating development• Variable chances of success along conflict

continuum

Some Key Challenges

• Overcoming institutional barriers to cooperation among agencies

• Improving donor coordination and duration of commitment

• Size matters for donors and recipients• Shortage of capable facilitators• Staying behind the scenes – U.S. can’t always be

out front• How to demonstrate success if success is a null case