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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