Assessing and Restoring Natural Resources in Post-Conflict Peacebuilding

Description

Violent conflict invariably disrupts people's livelihoods, the natural environment, social and political institutions, and the economy at all levels. Restoring peace and rebuilding society can be arduous, but immediate action at the cessation of conflict is essential. From the outset, assessments must identify needs, estimate costs, prioritize interventions, and develop a plan for recovery and reconstruction. This book examines how conflicts degrade natural resources and addresses the consequences for human health, livelihoods, and security. It reviews lessons learned from remediating environmental hotspots, restoring damaged ecosystems, and reconstructing environmental services and infrastructure. Future peacebuilding efforts will benefit from these experiences and frameworks. This book provides a concise theoretical and practical framework for policymakers, researchers, practitioners, and students. Assessing and Restoring Natural Resources in Post-Conflict Peacebuilding is part of a global initiative to identify and analyze lessons in post-conflict peacebuilding and natural resource management. The project has generated six volumes of case studies and analyses, with contributions by practitioners, policymakers, and researchers. Other volumes address high-value resources, land, water, livelihoods, and governance.

David Jensen manages the Environmental Cooperation for Peacebuilding Programme of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP). Steve Lonergan is a Professor of Geography at the University of Victoria and former director of the UNEP Division of Early Warning and Assessment.