Saving the Environment, Saving People and Building Peace

Jun 4, 2020 | PAX
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PAX is highlighting the importance of environment and conflict as it marks World Environment Day. Around the world, citizens, grass-roots activists, United Nations organisations, faith leaders and many others reflect on the state of our environment in a rapidly changing world. The environment is an important part of PAX’s work on peacebuilding and conflict prevention. Throughout PAX's programmes in Colombia, Iraq, Israel, Palestine, Sudan, South-Sudan, Syria, Ukraine, and Yemen, environmental dimensions of armed conflicts are essential to lives, livelihoods and the security of its partners and people affected by them.

Wars and armed conflicts can also cause large-scale deforestation, while the lack of environmental regulation harms nature reserves. This leads to severe loss of bio-diversity and wildlife in these areas. Environmental issues are understandably often not a priority, yet are essential in humanitarian response and recovery work. Nature is key to restoration of lives, livelihoods and the future of conflict-affected communities. Re-building should be greener and better. Improved natural resource management can facilitate environmental peacebuilding and address climate security risks.