Environmental Peacebuilding Association

The Intersection between Humanitarian Mine Action and Environmental Peacebuilding

Date & Time
Jun 19, 2026 | 11.00 - 12.30

Participants
Anna McKean, The Conflict and Environment Observatory (United Kingdom)
Elliot Ball, Mines Advisory Group (United Kingdom)
Emily Chrystie, The HALO Trust (United Kingdom)
Kristin Holme Obrestad, Norwegian People’s Aid (Norway)

This panel explores how humanitarian mine action (HMA) can contribute to — and sometimes challenge — the goals of environmental peacebuilding. First, a foundational presentation will outline core HMA principles and examine points of intersection with environmental peacebuilding, such as land restoration, ecosystem resilience, and community safety. Next, Norwegian People’s Aid will share insights on mine action operators as environmental actors, highlighting both opportunities and challenges in embedding ecological best practices into operational planning. A third presentation (HALO Trust) will investigate the intersection of mine action with indigenous land rights, illustrating how clearance interacts with customary land use, ecological stewardship, and social justice. Finally, a case study (Mines Advisory Group) will highlight the environmental consequences of clearance, addressing soil disturbance, biodiversity impacts, and water contamination risks. Together, these contributions aim to bridge discourse between HMA and environmental peacebuilding, fostering dialogue on theory, practice, and emerging challenges. Presentations: 1)‘Basics of Humanitarian Mine Action and how it intersects with environmental peacebuilding’, Dr Anna McKean, Senior Advisor (Mine Action and Environment), Conflict and Environment Observatory, UK, anna@ceobs.org 2)‘Mine action operator as environmental actor. Experience of rolling out Green Field Tool in eight countries, Kristin Holme Obrestad, Special Advisor Climate and Environment, Norwegian People’s Aid (NPA), Norway kristino@npaid.org 3) ‘Integrating Mine Action and Environmental Restoration in Conflict-affected landscapes’, The session will explore how mine action organisations can move beyond clearance alone to actively address the environmental legacies of war, including land degradation, ecosystem damage, and climate related risks that compound vulnerabilities for affected communities. Drawing on field experience from ongoing projects in multiple landmine-impacted countries including Ukraine, Somaliland and Sri Lanka, the presentation will reflect on practical lessons, challenges, and opportunities for linking humanitarian mine action with environmental restoration and environmental peacebuilding outcomes Emily Chrystie, Global Environment Manager, HALO Trust, UK, emily.chrystie@halotrust.org 4) Understanding the long term environmental impacts of mine action, land use change in Cambodia’ Elliot Ball, Climate and Environment Advisor @ Mines Advisory Group (MAG), UK, Elliot.Ball@maginternational.org

The Intersection between Humanitarian Mine Action and Environmental Peacebuilding

Basics of Humanitarian Mine Action and how it intersects with environmental peacebuilding

Mine action operator as environmental actor. Experience of rolling out Green Field Tool in Eight Countries

Integrating Mine Action and Environmental Restoration in Conflict-Affected Landscapes

Understanding the Long-Term Environmental Impacts of Mine Action, Land Use Change in Cambodia