Issue #323 – May 26, 2026

Announcements

Climate Change, Peace and Security: Understanding Climate-Related Security Risks Through an Integrated Lens

May 26, 2026 | One UN Climate Change Learning Partnership

A new free online course designed to strengthen understanding of the links between climate change, peacebuilding, and security is now available for learners worldwide through UN CC.

Registration for the Fourth Conference on Environmental Peacebuilding in Ottawa

May 26, 2026 | Environmental Peacebuilding Association

The in-person portion of the Fourth International Conference on Environmental Peacebuilding will take place from June 16 - June 19, 2026, in Ottawa, Canada.

Call for Proposals: Trainer of Trainers Package on Mainstreaming Climate and Environmental Action [Deadline: May 29, 2026]

May 14, 2026 | Climate and Environment Charter for Humanitarian Organizations

The Climate and Environment Charter Secretariat is seeking proposals from qualified consultants or organizations to develop a Trainer of Trainers (ToT) package to support Charter signatories in running their own workshops on mainstreaming…

Register Now for "Law, Policy and Science in Environmental Peacebuilding Training" (12 Oct - 16 Oct 2026 in Slovenia) [DEADLINE: May 30, 2026]

May 11, 2026 | Geneva Water Hub

Call for Application: Join the Geneva Water Hub in Ljubljana, Slovenia, from October 12 to October 16, 2026, for a transformative training course on Law, Policy and Science in Environmental Peacebuilding.

Events

For more upcoming events on environmental peacebuilding, please visit our online calendar of events.

Fourth International Conference on Environmental Peacebuilding

June 16, 2026 - 2026-06-19 Environmental Peacebuilding Association and University of Ottawa
Ottawa, Canada and online

The Environmental Peacebuilding Association® (EnPAx®) and the University of Ottawa are delighted to announce that the Fourth International Conference on Environmental Peacebuilding will be held on June 16-19, 2026.

Examining Human-Wildlife Relationships through the Lens of Folklore and Storytelling (A Path to Ottawa Event)

June 3, 2026 Environmental Peacebuilding Association

Join us for an interactive session focused on Human-Wildlife Conflict by centering stories, relational ontologies and folklore as foundational tools for understanding and practicing peacebuilding.

War on Nature: The Environmental Impact of Armed Conflict and Paths to Recovery

June 3, 2026 XCEPT
London, UK and online

How do armed conflicts affect the environment? What are the social, economic, political, and cultural impacts of war-related environmental destruction? And how can affected communities and international actors deal with such destruction?

Eyes at the Last Mile: Ethical Impact Storytelling for Environmental Peacebuilding (A Path to Ottawa Event)

June 2, 2026 Environmental Peacebuilding Association
online

Environmental peacebuilding operates at the intersection of environmental stress, conflict, health, and resilience, yet the lived realities of communities at the last mile are often mediated through distant, institutional narratives.

Conservation International: Environmental Peacebuilding Glossary Promotion Event (A Path to Ottawa Event)

May 28, 2026 Conservation International

Please join Conservation International (CI) and Environmental Peacebuilding Association (EnPAx) for an interactive session featuring an exciting new environmental peacebuilding resource called the Essential Concepts of Environmental Peacebuilding: An A-Z Guide (forthcoming).

An Intergenerational Perspective on Environmental Peacebuilding (A Path to Ottawa Event)

May 27, 2026 Environmental Peacebuilding Association
Oregon State University and online

This session will be an intergenerational dialogue on environmental peacebuilding that capitalizes on these strengths and showcases how scholars at different stages in their careers are engaging with the field of environmental peacebuilding.

Library

In the last two weeks, 10 new publications were added to our online library of materials on environmental peacebuilding.

Nature Security Assessment on Global Biodiversity Loss, Ecosystem Collapse and National Security

May 26, 2026
UK Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs

This assessment is an analysis of how global biodiversity loss and ecosystem collapse could affect UK national security.

Land Grabs: Wider, Ongoing and Expanding

May 26, 2026 | Jun Borras
Transnational Institute

Land grabbing did not disappear when the headlines faded. Across the world, corporations, investors and states continue to reshape control over land and resources, often through quieter, normalized processes.

Climate Change as a Security Risk

May 26, 2026 | Edmarverson A. Santos
Diplomacy and Law

Climate Change is now a security risk because it weakens the material conditions that allow states, communities, and legal systems to function: stable coastlines, predictable water supplies, reliable food production, habitable territory, public…

A Framework for Breaking the Food–Climate–Water–Conflict Nexus in Africa

May 26, 2026 | Malancha Chakrabarty
Observer Research Foundation

Africa is in the middle of multiple, yet related, crises—conflicts, climate change, water stress, and food insecurity.

Can Afghanistan Feed Itself? Agriculture, Trade and Food Security under Pressure

May 24, 2026 | Mhd Assem Mayar
Afghanistan Analysts Network

Afghanistan’s food system is under growing strain. Domestic harvests remain insufficient and uneven and trade routes have shifted repeatedly in recent years.

Somalia: Poor Rains and Rising Costs Drive Urgent Food and Nutrition Needs, with Risk of Famine in One Area

May 22, 2026
Integrated Food Security Phase Classification

Six million people in Somalia - 31 percent of the analysed population - are facing high levels of acute food insecurity (IPC Phase 3 or above) between April and June 2026, including 1.

Introducing WISEN: Towards a Global Environmental Monitoring Framework for Conflicts [Video]

May 21, 2026
Conflict and Environment Observatory

Remote environmental analysis of conflict areas gathers data vital for advocacy, assessment, recovery and accountability.

Ecological Statecraft in the Midst of War: Water, Regeneration, and the Future of Gulf Security

May 19, 2026 | Olivia Lazard and Ali Bin Shahid
Carnegie Endowment for International Peace

The 2026 US-Iran war is radiating through the Gulf’s energy systems, maritime routes, supply chains, food corridors, financial flows, and regional diplomacy—and its effects will be long-lasting.

Recommendations for Strengthening Water Security, Peace, and Gender Inclusion Ahead of the 2026 UN Water Conference

May 19, 2026 | Melanne Verveer, Shaima Gargash, Antti Rautavaar, Nelson Gomonda, Nompumelelo Ntshalintshali-Motsa, Foman Forough, Elizabeth A. Koch, and Tamara Bah
Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security

This policy paper summarizes key insights and recommendations for strengthening water security through a Women, Peace and Security (WPS) lens ahead of the 2026 UN Water Conference.

Environmental Peacebuilding: New Paradigms (chapter in Research Handbook on the International Law of Peace)

May 15, 2026 | Britta Sjöstedt
Edward Elgar Publishing

Environmental peacebuilding has emerged as an interdisciplinary field that integrates environmental governance with conflict resolution and post-conflict recovery.

Jobs

Please visit our jobs page to view these positions and other job opportunities.

Yemen: Humanitarian Mine Action Technical Field Manager

May 26, 2026 | Danish Refugee Council

The Danish Refugee Council assists refugees and internally displaced persons across the globe: DRC provides emergency aid, fights for their rights, and strengthen their opportunity for a brighter future.

Palestine: Program Coordinator - Jerusalem

May 26, 2026 | Solidarités International

Solidarités International is an international humanitarian aid association which, since more than 40 years, has been providing assistance to populations affected by armed conflicts and natural disasters by meeting their basic needs for…

Syria: Head of Water Project

May 26, 2026 | Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH

GIZ has been operating in Syria since 1976. It has thus established valuable contacts in civil society and garnered experience that is now crucial for supporting the country.

Ukraine: WASH Advisor

May 26, 2026 | Medair

Due to the war in Ukraine, Medair responds to vast WASH needs particularly in eastern Ukraine.

Jordan/Lebanon: Regional Climate Justice Advisor – South West Asia & North Africa

May 26, 2026 | Oxfam

Oxfam is a global movement of people who won’t live with the injustice of poverty. Together we save and rebuild lives in disasters. We help people build better lives for themselves.

DRC: Expert en Sauvegarde Environnementale et Sociale

May 26, 2026 | Société de Développement International

La société de Développement International, une firme de Recherche & Développement ayant son siège social à Québec au Canada recherche pour un projet en RDC, les experts ayant les profils ci-dessous.

Ukraine: Climate and Environment Technical Advisor (Ukraine Nationals Only)

May 26, 2026 | Save the Children

Save the Children International is a leading global humanitarian organization that has been protecting children's rights worldwide for over 100 years.

Ukraine: Humanitarian Mine Action Operations Manager

May 26, 2026 | Danish Refugee Council

The Danish Refugee Council (DRC) is a leading protection agency with a mandate to protect, advocate for and promote durable solutions for displacement-affected populations.

International News

In the last two weeks, 25 international news items on environmental peacebuilding were posted on our website. The following is a sampling:

Myanmar: Junta Pushes Energy Self-Sufficiency Drive amid Myanmar Power Shortages

May 26, 2026
Mizzima

Myanmar’s junta is prioritizing energy self-sufficiency by expanding domestic production and electricity generation to address chronic blackouts and fuel shortages amid ongoing conflict and economic turmoil.

Afghanistan: Afghanistan Faces Deepening Humanitarian Crisis amid Conflict, Floods and Drought: OCHA

May 25, 2026
Kabul Tribune

Afghanistan is facing a worsening humanitarian situation driven by cross-border conflict, widespread flooding and prolonged drought conditions, according to the latest humanitarian update by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian…

Food Security: Hunger Increasingly Used as Weapon of War as ‘Food-Related Violence’ Surges, Analysis Shows

May 24, 2026 | Mark Townsend
Guardian

Hunger is being increasingly exploited as a weapon of war with more than 20,000 documented incidents of “food-related violence” in the past eight years, new analysis reveals.

Nigeria: When the Forest Became a Fortress: How Climate Change Is Fueling Banditry in Southwest Nigeria

May 23, 2026 | Rafiu Babatunde Ibrahim
MouthpieceNGR

For generations, Nigerians across the southwest have lived by the rhythm of two predictable seasons-the dry, dusty harmattan and the drenching, life-giving rains.

Colombia: Indigenous Territorial Violence Leaves Seven Dead in Colombia, Army Deployed

May 23, 2026 | Yekkirala Akshitha
The Morning Voice

Colombia has deployed hundreds of soldiers and police personnel to the southwestern department of Cauca after a violent territorial dispute between two Indigenous communities left at least seven people dead and more than…

United States/Israel/Iran: Big Oil’s War Profits May Have a Silver Lining after All

May 22, 2026 | Damian Carrington
Guardian

Shell’s profit for the first three months of 2026 more than doubled to $6. 9bn, as did BP’s, to $3. 2bn. TotalEnergies profits also surged by more than 50%, up to $5.

Sudan: Powering Resilience: Solar Irrigation Helps Refugees and Host Communities Thrive in Sudan

May 22, 2026 | Antonia Vadala
UN High Commissioner for Refugees

In Sudan’s White Nile State, where soaring temperatures and erratic rainfall threaten traditional farming, solar-powered irrigation is helping communities grow food and rebuild livelihoods in the face of climate change and displacement.

Water: One Region, One Vision: a New Era of Transboundary Water Diplomacy in Central Asia

May 21, 2026
The Water Diplomat

The first-ever Regional Ecological Summit (RES 2026), held in Astana from 22 to 24 April 2026 under the theme "One Region, One Vision, One Future," marked a significant milestone in transboundary climate diplomacy…

Afghanistan: FAO and World Bank Launch Matching Grants to Support Afghan Agribusinesses, Create Jobs and Boost Rural Economies

May 20, 2026
Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN

Five Afghan agribusinesses have been selected as the first recipients of co-investment matching grants under an initiative implemented by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and funded by the…

South Sudan: African Parks (AP) and MWCT Hosting Major Environmental Planning Workshop in Juba

May 20, 2026
ZUMA Press Wire

South Sudan launched a two day workshop on ecologically sensitive infrastructure and sustainable planning in Juba, hosted by African Parks and the South Sudan Ministry of Wildlife Conservation and Tourism (MWCT).

Guinea/Liberia: Guinea 'Beats War Drum' over Solumba Border Dispute

May 13, 2026 | Lincoln G. Peters
New Dawn

The Speaker of Guinea's National Transitional Council (NTC), Dansa Kourouma, has said Guinea will "protect" the disputed Solumba border area, a territory Liberia maintains falls within its own borders.

USU Welcomes Environmental Dispute Resolution Program, Announces Fall Training Opportunities

May 13, 2026 | Andrea DeHaan
Utah State University

Utah State University will welcome the Environmental Dispute Resolution Program to campus July 1, expanding opportunities for students and professionals seeking advanced training in collaboration, conflict resolution and public engagement related to environmental…

Blogs & Opinion

In the last two weeks, 14 blogs & opinion pieces on environmental peacebuilding were posted on our website. Here is a sampling:

When Climate Becomes a National Security Blind Spot

May 25, 2026 | Nigel Savage

At the very moment when climate risks are accelerating across the world and the Middle East, Israel’s National Security Council is stepping back from addressing climate change as a national security issue.

Water as a Weapon in the Nuclearized South Asia: The Relevance of Indus Waters Treaty

May 21, 2026 | Sarah Saeed

The latest decision of the Permanent Court of Arbitration in favor of Pakistan in its hydroelectric projects at Ratle Hydroelectric Plant and Kishanganga Hydroelectric Plant is much more than just a legal controversy.

Weaponizing Supply Chains: How Iran and China Drive Strategic Food Insecurity in Modern Conflict

May 19, 2026 | Bruce Randolph Tizes

Iran did not improvise the Hormuz crisis.

The Missing Piece in Conflict Resolution

May 19, 2026 | Michael Keating

Conflict resolution is about much more than short-term agreements and transactional deals among powerful actors. Ceasefires can reduce suffering and create space for dialogue.

From Environmental Concern to Security Priority: Nature Loss as a Systemic Risk

May 19, 2026 | Shahzoda Alikhanova

The idea that biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation pose security risks is not new.

Deploying AI to Shed Light on the Murky Depths of Multi-Tier Supply Chains

May 14, 2026 | Jonathan Drimmer and Carl Hahn

As artificial intelligence becomes embedded across supply chain operations, companies are well-advised to plan for heightened expectations around transparency, explainability and governance from customers, investors, stakeholders and regulators — expectations that intensify sharply…

Climate Change as a Threat Multiplier in the Global South

May 14, 2026 | Lou Didelot

From devastating floods in Pakistan to prolonged droughts across the Horn of Africa, climate-related disasters are increasingly shaping political and humanitarian crises around the world.

Peace Is Negotiable, Access Is Not: How Africa’s Mineral Belts Became War Economies

May 13, 2026 | Babatunde Fatai

On February 18, 2026, a ceasefire in the Democratic Republic of Congo was supposed to begin. It did not.

AI’s Environmental Footprint Is a Gendered Security Risk

May 12, 2026 | Tamara Bah

The infrastructure powering artificial intelligence (AI) has become both a political flashpoint and a signal for strategic warfare with significant military, geopolitical, and international security implications.

Join the Association

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About Our Community of Practice

Environmental Peacebuilding is a knowledge platform and global community of practice on natural resources, conflict, and peace, hosted by the Environmental Peacebuilding Association. The platform unites a global network of researchers, practitioners, and decision makers in sharing experiences and lessons from managing natural resources in fragile states and conflict-affected settings. The platform also helps people to access new publications on the topic, conduct new research, and participate in events to support the growth of the field. As part of our Community of Practice, we bring you biweekly updates on recent developments, including news about our program as well as links to new publications, upcoming conferences and events, and job openings.

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Compiled by Buket Altınçelep, Maria Camilla Cadonici, Karishma Goswami, Amelie L'Henaff, Liz Hessami, Madeleine Loll, Kathleen McLean, and Milen Yishak
Coordinated by Mara Pusic
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Managed and edited by Carl Bruch and Joel Young