This course examines the impact that natural resources have on 21st century armed conflicts and how environmental peacebuilding can counter them.

Today, most armed conflicts are rooted in natural resources in various ways: by funding terrorist groups and criminals, by causing environmental disaster that worsens existing tensions, among others. However, natural resources and the environment can be used as tools for peacebuilding if properly managed. This course discusses how environmental factors and natural resources cause and intensify armed conflicts in multiple ways, how war impacts the environment and such resources, and how environmental peacebuilding can address armed conflicts. Additionally, this course is relevant to understanding and confronting social conflicts over natural resources and the environment worldwide.

Target Audience
Peace and security specialists, natural resource experts, development practitioners ,and undergraduate and graduate students in environmental fields.

Learning Objectives
– To understand how natural resources and the environment cause and amplify conflict and how conflict causes environmental destruction and mismanagement of resources, and conversely;
– To understand how the environment and resources can support peacebuilding if managed correctly.