Crises and conflicts can only be prevented if their structural causes are addressed. As the Eschborn Dialogue 2009 of the German Technical Cooperation (gtz) revealed, resource management and tackling climate change need to be considered as important instruments to address crucial structural causes of violent conflict. During this yearly key event of the gtz, two of the eight thematic panels dealt explicitly with the relevance of the environment for peace and security.



Climate change, the topic of one panel, has increasingly gained prominence on the foreign and security agendas of various governments during recent years. The discussion between representatives from the development and security communities, however, illustrated once more the complex relationship between different structural causes of violent conflict. Trying to isolate environment or resources as the reason for violent conflict is neither helpful nor appropriate. However, the urgency for early action is tremendous. As outlined by Adil Najam, Professor of Global Public Policy at Boston University, the current state of the world can already be compared to that of a failing state: It is highly divided, degraded, and insecure, poorly governed and unsafe. To strengthen conflict prevention under such conditions, Victor Elbling, Commissioner for International Energy Policy, Globalisation and Sustainable Development at the Federal Foreign Office stressed the need to promote a coherent foreign policy – also in tackling climate change. He suggested using and adjusting instruments already at the disposal of decision makers, such as strengthening regional cooperation on shared water resources in regions most heavily affected. “Water Unites”, an initiative focusing on Central Asia, was cited as an example that combines regional capacity building with the strengthening of early warning systems.



The natural resources and conflict panel identified further key elements of a framework for early action. Jon Martin Trondalen, a geography professor actively involved in mediation of transboundary water conflicts in the Middle East, argued for close cooperation with small organizations in conflict-prone settings. By building on established activities and partners, development agencies can identify points of entry for conflict resolution without exceeding their own capacity for action in these settings. The Eschborn Dialogue was successful in bringing together such different perspectives on the role of the environment and resource use for security and development. However, it also showed that donor activities are only just beginning to systematically address the conflict-related challenges posed by environmental degradation and climate change. (Dennis Taenzler and Annabelle Houdret)



For further information on the Eschborn Dialogue 2009, please see http://www.gtz.de/en/25641.htm



For the report "Climate Change and Security" commissioned by the German Technical Cooperation (gtz), please see http://www.gtz.de/de/dokumente/en-climate-security.pdf



For more information on the initiative “Water Unites”, please see here.

Published in: ECC-Newsletter, August 2009