Tue, Nov 15, 2011
A new study published by United Nations
Environment Programme (UNEP) and partners
examines key challenges faced by post-conflict
countries in peacefully and sustainably
developing their natural resources, while
avoiding major environmental degradation.
The new book features case studies from
more than 18 countries, including small-scale
mining in DR Congo.
Washington DC / Nairobi,
15 November 2011 - Using case studies from
over 30 countries and analysis from 39 expert
authors, a new study published by United
Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and
partners examines key challenges faced by
post-conflict countries in peacefully and
sustainably developing their natural resources,
while avoiding major environmental degradation.
Covering over 55 conflict-affected
countries, the series represents one of
the most comprehensive studies to date of
the link between managing natural resources,
such as oil, diamonds, gold and timber and
post-conflict peacebuilding.
"Certain countries
are blessed with valuable natural resources
that can contribute to grievances and conflict,"
says ELI President John Cruden. "However,
in post-conflict situations, there lies
a unique opportunity to thoughtfully manage
high-value natural resources to support
economic development, livelihoods, good
governance, and ultimately peace and stability."
The book includes a
foreword by Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, President
of Liberia and 2011 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate.
Sirleaf states that
peace brings high expectations, especially
in a country with abundant natural resources.
"We had to turn this natural resource
'curse' into a blessing," she notes,
"But where to start?"
United Nations Under-Secretary
General and UNEP Executive Director Achim
Steiner said the research effort answers
an important call by the UN Secretary General
Ban Ki-Moon for a greater focus on the links
between natural resources, conflict, and
peacebuilding.
"This project can
make significant contributions towards improving
post-conflict resource management through
sharing lessons learned and best practices,"
said Mr. Steiner.
"As a result it
can assist in the transition towards low-carbon,
resource efficient Green Economies in post-conflict
nations and thus contribute to stability,
peace, recovery and sustainable development,"
he added.
The book gives insight
to a variety of natural resource management
strategies, addressing the different steps
of the natural resource value-chain, from
extraction to distribution and spending
revenues.
It highlights four areas
where international support can be particularly
fruitful:
These include:
Assisting post-conflict
countries to secure better contracts with
companies extracting natural resources
Increasing the transparency
of contracts, payments, and decision making
Supporting the monitoring
of companies that are extracting natural
resources
Encouraging strategic
planning for and accountability in using
the revenues from natural resources to provide
immediate peace dividends to war-torn populations
and invest in infrastructure, health, education,
and economic diversification.
Providing insight on
the management process, the book aims to
benefit national and local governments,
extractive industries, civil society organizations,
and the international community. It also
provides invaluable lessons for the UN's
peace and security institutions, including
the Department of Peacekeeping Operations
and the UN Peacebuilding Commission.
The four-year project
will yield more than 150 peer-reviewed case
studies and analyses by 230 scholars, practitioners,
and decision makers from 50 countries.
These case studies and
analyses are being assembled into a set
of six edited books - to be published by
Earthscan - addressing the following topics:
high-value natural resources, land, water,
resources for livelihoods, assessment and
restoration of natural resources and governance.
The project is also
producing an overarching book, published
by Cambridge University Press (2012): Post-conflict
peacebuilding and natural resources: The
promise and the peril.
+ More
New Environmental Training
Toolkit for Humanitarian Sector
Tue, Nov 15, 2011
From today, humanitarian workers around
the world can access training and practical
information to help them anticipate and
minimize the negative environmental impacts
of relief and recovery operations.
Geneva, 15 November 2011 - From today, humanitarian
workers around the world can access training
and practical information to help them anticipate
and minimize the negative environmental
impacts of relief and recovery operations.
Environment, Humanitarian Action and Early
RecoveryWhether through direct damage to
land, water or air, or through coping strategies
that can place further pressure on scarce
natural resources, environmental impacts
in the aftermath of crises can threaten
the success of recovery activities and leave
populations more vulnerable to future events.
A new training toolkit,
entitled Integrating the environment into
humanitarian action and early recovery,
addresses the different ways in which the
environment can be taken into account in
humanitarian action, not least how to help
protect the natural resources crucial to
recovery.
Developed by the United
Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and
Groupe URD, with support from the Flemish
International Cooperation Agency, the training
consists of 11 modules which cover topics
ranging from key environmental concepts
and solutions for sustainable logistics
to waste management in emergency situations
and alternative energy sources.
Extensive research went
into developing the training materials,
and UNEP and Groupe URD conducted pilot
training activities in Chad, South Africa
and Zimbabwe to refine and test the modules.
The free toolkit is
being distributed to humanitarian organizations
and national authorities in DVD format.
"Environmental
awareness during life saving humanitarian
actions is crucial to optimize chances for
a sustainable reconstruction and rehabilitation
of the disaster area," said Kris Peeters,
Minister-President of Flanders.
"By supporting
the UNEP capacity building training program
for humanitarian organizations, the Government
of Flanders wants to emphasize that it is
important that also in emergency aid long
term sustainability is taken into account
as of day one," the Minister-President
added.
UNEP also is also launching
today the French version of its online Resource
Centre for Mainstreaming Environment into
Humanitarian Action available at: http://postconflict.unep.ch/humanitarianaction.
It is a comprehensive
online collection of guidelines, training
materials, case studies and other practical
information from more than 40 organizations
explaining how to integrate environmental
considerations into humanitarian action,
arranged according to sector and environmental
issue.
UNEP launched the resource
centre in English in August 2010 in response
to a clear need from humanitarian organizations
for reliable and current information on
incorporating environmental considerations
into their policy and strategy development,
programme design and relief activities.
To ensure the resource
centre provides the best available current
information, UNEP is calling for ongoing
contributions of resources in any languages
from NGOs, governments, UN agencies, the
private sector and academic and research
institutions.
