Blogs & Opinions

Investing in South Sudan Oil Could Add Fuel to the Flames

Oct 6, 2019 | Brian Adeba and Megha Swamy

A major oil and power conference kicks off in Cape Town this week with South Sudan expected to actively seek companies and announce exploration licences…

Afghanistan: Water Management for Peace

Oct 4, 2019 | Said Hashmat Sadat and Nastrat Sayed

In the optimistic view, Afghanistan is closer to peace today than at any time in the past decades. The presidential election last weekend may have…

For Bosnian Women, No Justice—and No Seats

Oct 3, 2019 | Riada Asimovic Akyol

Both men and women suffer the consequences of wars, but conflicts and humanitarian disasters around the world tend to disproportionately affect women and children. Additionally,…

The Hidden Work of Post-Conflict Recovery

Oct 2, 2019 | Jay Lingham and Melissa Johnston

Sri Lanka 2011. It is two years since a brutal civil war ended, with the UN reporting tens of thousands of civilians killed in the final…

Custom, Caste System Deny Land Rights to Asian Women, Indigenous People

Oct 2, 2019 | Rina Chandran

Women, lower-caste and indigenous people across Asia are failing to benefit from land reform laws because of custom and deep-rooted social biases, land rights activists…

International Law Is Failing the South China Sea

Oct 1, 2019 | Shirley Wang

When Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte and Chinese President Xi Jinping met in Beijing on August 29, expectations were high that progress would be made on the South…

This October on Agrilinks: The Role of Gender in Agriculture

Oct 1, 2019 | Krista Jacobs

Gender influences which crops are grown, which animals are raised, and which technologies are used. It influences how households earn a livelihood and manage risk,…

From Commitment to Action: Inclusion of Women's Voices in Commonwealth Priorities for Gender Equality

Sep 30, 2019 | Myn Garcia

Women from across the Commonwealth met in advance of the 12 Women’s Affairs Ministers Meeting (12WAMM) on 16 and 17 September to discuss policy recommendations to accelerate national, regional, and global action…

Taking SDG 5 (Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment) Seriously in the Forestry Sector

Sep 30, 2019 | Carol Colfer and Dominique Lyons

In the lead-up to the 25th IUFRO World Congress being held in Curitiba, Brazil from 29 Sept. to 6 Oct., a group of scientists from around…

Advancing United Nations Responses to Climate-Related Security Risks

Sep 30, 2019 | Karolina Eklöw, Camilla Born, and Malin Mobjörk

The security implications of climate change have increasingly been debated in the United Nations Security Council. Yet, there is a growing concern by many UN…

Reclaiming the WPS Agenda: it's Time to Talk About the Elephant in the Room

Sep 27, 2019 | Mohbuba Choudhury

Displacement levels in Bangladesh as a result of the influx of Rohingya refugees has had a detrimental impact upon the local environment. The arrival of…

Climate Change and Global Security: Planning for Potential Conflict

Sep 25, 2019 | Charlotte Collins

Climate change is set to impinge on human well-being in many ways, from rising sea levels to devastating heat waves. While we pay a lot…

Analysis: Why Pastoral, Agro-Pastoral Livelihoods in Horn of Africa Face an Inevitable Threat

Sep 24, 2019 | Hussien Mohamed Yusuf

The IGAD region is one of the most food-insecure regions in the world. Prolonged and widespread drought is a recurrent feature of the arid and…

Africa's Climate Crisis, Conflict, and Migration Challenges

Sep 20, 2019 | Ahmadou Aly Mbaye

Links between the climate crisis and migration are intensifying in West Africa, where many people work in sectors vulnerable to climate-related extremes of weather and…

Climate Change Denialism Poses a National Security Threat

Sep 20, 2019 | Mark Nevitt

In a forthcoming article in the Harvard Environmental Law Review, I argue that climate change is one of the most pressing national security issues facing the…

Protecting the Environment in Times of War

Sep 20, 2019 | Peter Gleick

War is a miserable thing. It kills and maims soldiers and civilians. It destroys infrastructure, cultures, and communities. It worsens poverty and development challenges. And…

How Feminist Research Will Help Solve the Climate Crisis

Sep 17, 2019 | Maria Tanyag

As the impacts of global warming are already being felt and we are warned of the irreversible impacts, Maria Tanyang tells us why women’s situated knowledge…

Gender, Environment Complex Connections Hold Back Prospects for Sustainable Management

Sep 17, 2019 | Gibson Mhaka

In an office just a few minutes away from the city centre in Ramallah, Dr. Ayman Rabi scurries to submit a report on the latest…

Humanity and Nature Are Not Separate- We Must See Them as One to Fix the Climate Crisis

Sep 17, 2019 | Heather Alberro

From transport and housing to food production and fashion, our civilisation is driving climate and ecological breakdown. It’s no coincidence that almost every single sector of industry…

Climate Security in Afghanistan: Should It Even Be on the Radar

Sep 17, 2019 | Oli Brown

In terms of the resources it brings, the UN is a relatively minor player in Afghanistan. However, as one of the few organisations that has…

This Land Is Ours: New Law Could End Age-Old Injustice Faced by Liberian Women

Sep 17, 2019 | Alexandra Benjamin

Lofa County, Liberia – Ten women are gathered in the open-air concrete slab building that serves as a community center for Gbonyea, a village a few…

When It Comes to Addressing Climate Change, Gender Matters

Sep 16, 2019 | Andrew Urevig

Most low-income people world wide are women, and many women face gender discrimination in addition to poverty. Both factors mean greater vulnerability to extreme events…

Water Diplomacy Voices: "The Geneva List of Principles on the Protection of Water Infrastructure"

Sep 15, 2019 | OOSKAnews

Water Diplomacy Voices is a series of guest columns written by senior participants in different parts of the international water community. In this article Mara Tignino, Reader at the…

Climate Change, Peacebuilding and Sustaining Peace

Sep 13, 2019 | Florian Krampe

Of the ten countries that host the most multilateral peace operations personnel, eight are located in areas highly exposed to climate change. As such, climate…

UNCCD Global Mechanism Addresses Gender Equality in LDN Initiatives

Sep 12, 2019 | Leila Mead

6 September 2019: The Global Mechanism of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) has published a briefing note and manual to advance gender equality…

The Climate-Security Nexus: Interview with Louise Van Schaik

Sep 12, 2019 | Sweta Chakraborty

Dr. Sweta Chakraborty is the host of the Climate and Security Podcast produced by the Center for Climate and Security, and here she interviews Louise Van Schaik,…

Is Environmental Peacebuilding the Answer to South Sudan’s Conflict?

Sep 12, 2019 | Marisa O. Ensor

September 12, 2019 marks one year since South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir and former Vice President-turned-opposition leader Riek Machar signed a new peace agreement. The…

Improving Access to Land for Women in the Arab World: Policy Options and Tools for Triggering Social and Economic Development

Sep 11, 2019 | Everlyne Nairesia, Sina Schlimmer and Ombretta Tempra

It is estimated that in developing countries, women are responsible for the production of 60 to 80 percent of food and yet, they rarely own…

Securing Better Land Rights for Women Farmers in Kenya and Burkina Faso

Sep 11, 2019 | Douglas Donnellan

In Kenya and Burkina Faso, accessing land for agriculture can be a major challenge for women due to poor governance and gender inequality. According to…

Let's Get Climate Action Into Traction with Gender Equality

Sep 11, 2019 | Anita Bhatia and Ulrika Modeer

Climate change is already altering the face of our planet. Research shows that we need to put all our efforts over the coming decade to limit…