Abstract
Abstract Environmental peacebuilding is a rapidly growing field of research and practice at the intersection of environment, conflict, peace and security. Focusing on these linkages is crucial in a time when the environment is a core issue of international politics and the number of armed conflicts remains high. This article introduces a special issue with a particular emphasis on environmental opportunities for building and sustaining peace. We first detail the definitions, theoretical assumptions and intellectual background of environmental peacebuilding. The article then provides context for the special issue by briefly reviewing core findings and debates of the first two generations of environmental peacebuilding research. Finally, we identify knowledge gaps that should be addressed in the next generation of research, and to which the articles in this special issue contribute: bottom-up approaches, gender, conflict-sensitive programming, use of big data and frontier technology, and monitoring and evaluation.
Highlights
After the end of the First World War, scholarly interest in the causes of war and potential drivers of peace flourished
Triggered by the first UN Security Council debate on climate change and security, along with the award of the Nobel Peace Prize to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and Al Gore, the debate revived in the mid-2000s with a focus on climate change and conflict.[2]
This article introduces a special issue of International Affairs that advances debates on environmental peacebuilding and provides important insights for both scholars and practitioners
Summary
Scholars and practitioners continue to use various definitions of environmental peacebuilding; this diversity arises in part from the field’s interdisciplinary nature, its broad research area and the diversity of actors involved Different labels such as environmental peacemaking, ecological diplomacy, science diplomacy and peace ecology further increase this complexity.[12]. Environmental challenges offer opportunities for cooperation because they transcend political boundaries, may be less sensitive politically than other topics, and may stimulate actors to consider longer time horizons.[25] Once initiated, environmental cooperation can lead to institutions conducive to further integration and conflict resolution.[26] Such adaptive and flexible institutions are critical for building resilience and responding to global challenges such as climate change.[27] In addition, positive-sum cooperation on environmental challenges can be instrumental in building trust and understanding between social groups and political leaders.[28] This dynamic is often referred to as environmental peacemaking.[29].
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