Environment, Conflict and Peacebuilding at IISD

The IISD program on Environment, Conflict and Peacebuilding investigates the links between environmental change, natural resource governance, and human security to support conflict prevention and post-conflict reconstruction. The program employs a three-pillar approach consisting of research, policy, and practice, which includes analyzing emerging threats, promoting policy mechanisms to address root causes of insecurity, and training practitioners in conflict-sensitive programming. Specific project examples include assessing climate change threats in the Jordan River basin, analyzing Canada's security agenda regarding the Arctic and energy sources, and advising UN agencies on integrating environmental management into peacebuilding.

• IISD posits that environmental factors are rarely the sole cause of violence but are linked to conflict through three primary mechanisms: scarce resources and degradation increase the likelihood and impact of conflict, high-value resources can trigger competition for control, and climate change may exacerbate these links by altering rainfall, food production, and population distribution.
• The program's operational model integrates research, policy, and practice to reduce conflict risks. This involves identifying community-level concerns through field research, promoting policy mechanisms to national and international decision-makers to address root causes of insecurity, and providing practical training for conservationists and guidance for natural resource governance in fragile states.
• IISD has implemented several targeted projects, including: analyzing climate change threats to water and food security in the Jordan River basin; identifying Canadian security challenges related to Arctic shipping routes and energy sources; leading an Expert Group since 2007 to advise UN agencies on environmental management in peacebuilding; and assessing the UNEP Afghanistan Programme since 2003.
• The program has developed a Conflict-Sensitive Conservation Practitioners’ Manual to help conservationists in biodiversity hotspots avoid exacerbating conflict and utilize natural resource management as an opportunity for peacebuilding.

APA

International Institute for Sustainable Development (n.d.). Environment, Conflict and Peacebuilding at IISD. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/brochure_environment_conflict_peacebuilding.pdf

Chicago

International Institute for Sustainable Development. Environment, Conflict and Peacebuilding at IISD. n.d. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/brochure_environment_conflict_peacebuilding.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=International Institute for Sustainable Development |title=Environment, Conflict and Peacebuilding at IISD |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/brochure_environment_conflict_peacebuilding.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{internationalinstituteforsustainabledevelopmentndenvironment, author = {{International Institute for Sustainable Development}}, title = {{Environment, Conflict and Peacebuilding at IISD}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/brochure_environment_conflict_peacebuilding.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }