Interdependencies between environment, development, and conflict prevention have gained significant importance on the international agenda over the past years. In recognition of this fact, the European conference "Integrating Environment, Development, and Conflict Prevention – European and National Approaches and Challenges" brought together experts and decision-makers in Berlin from all over Europe at the end of March. The conference was jointly hosted by the German Federal Ministries for Environment, Development and the German Federal Foreign Office and was organized in close cooperation with Adelphi Consult.

The prominent themes of the conference were: climate change and its consequences, options for tackling the trade in conflict resources, and transboundary environmental cooperation. Speakers and participants stressed experiences and possibilities for the European Commission and EU Member States to become active in these areas.

Throughout discussions, the need for new alliances, partnerships and improved inter-organisational coordination among and within EU Member States received particular attention. The European Commission announced a number of new initiatives in this regard. Two of them, the Conflict Prevention Network (CPN) and the Peacebuilding Partnership will be networks of civil society organisations. Additionally, a special "Natural Resource Conflict Facility" will be established to fund activities related to natural resource conflicts. These initiatives will be financed under the „Stability Instrument”, which has been designed to address issues of conflict prevention, crisis management and peace building. These initiatives will be accompanied by a new inter-agency working group on environment and conflict prevention, comprising representatives of seven Directorate-Generals. These Commission initiatives caught the attention of the conference participants. Several participants considered the inter-agency working group as a potential template for inter-ministerial cooperation. The outcome of the conference will serve as input for a high-level follow-up conference scheduled for the end of May in Berlin. (Achim Maas)

A comprehensive analysis of the initiatives by the European Commission will follow in the June edition of the ECC-Newsletter.

For more information on the conference, please see http://www.adelphi-consult.com/ecc2007

Published in:ECC-Newsletter, April 2007