New Study: Good Governance of Natural Resources Essential for Post-Conflict Peacebuilding and Economic Recovery

WASHINGTON, DC and GENEVA—After armed conflict, those who survive need food, water, shelter, the means to earn a living, and the promise of a return to safety and civil order. A new study released today finds meeting these needs while sustaining peace requires more than a forum for governing natural resources; it also requires good governance. According to the study, entitled Governance, Natural Resources, and Post-Conflict Peacebuilding, natural resources are essential to sustaining people and peace in post-conflict countries, but governance failures often jeopardize such efforts. Nevertheless, with persistence and commitment on the part of government, civil society, and the international community, it is possible to improve governance of natural resources and thereby help ensure that a country’s natural resources bring peace, health, and economic development and not crime, corruption, and a relapse to violence. UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner said, “Understanding the nexus between governance and natural resources is crucial to the recovery of post-conflict countries. This study makes it clear that, while natural resources offer the opportunity for growth in post-conflict situations, their exploitation must be accompanied by capable, accountable institutions that manage natural wealth in a transparent and inclusive manner.” The study relies upon the combined expertise and field experience of more than seventy researchers, diplomats, military personnel, and practitioners from governmental, intergovernmental, and nongovernmental organizations to illustrate the mutually reinforcing relationship between natural resources, good governance, and peace. It examines the theory, practice, and reality of post-conflict governance in fifty conflict-affected countries around the world to explore the opportunity and challenge of effectively and equitably governing the use of natural resources and then converting the subsequent revenues into the jobs, infrastructure, and public service needed to consolidate and sustain peace. Writing in the book’s foreword, Óscar Arias Sánchez, former President of Costa Rica and 1987 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, calls on the international community to “[take] seriously the idea that peace is much more than a white flag or a treaty. Peace is a state of affairs that can only be sustained through strong institutions, through prosperity and above all, through investment in education and human development.” Edited by Carl Bruch, Director of International Programs at the Environmental Law Institute, Carroll Muffett, President of the Center for International Environmental Law, and Sandra S. Nichols, an environmental and natural resources attorney, the book explores lessons from past and ongoing peacebuilding efforts; describes how these lessons may be applied to create more effective governance initiatives; and presents an emerging theoretical and practical framework for policymakers, researchers, practitioners, and students. Scott Fulton, President of the Environmental Law Institute, noted, “This analysis makes it clear that good governance of natural resources and peace go hand in hand. Not only do transparency, accountability, and equity in the governance of natural resources strengthen the rule of law, empower marginalized communities, and rebuild social ties; it also helps post-conflict economies recover quickly and sustainably.” The study finds that, although the post-conflict period is a time of fragility, post-conflict peacebuilding provides societies the chance to make governance structures more effective, efficient, and equitable and to address problems and injustices that contributed to the conflict. Good governance of natural resources can support the reestablishment of security, delivery of basic services, strengthening of the economy and livelihoods, and improved legitimacy and cooperation. Governance, Natural Resources, and Post-Conflict Peacebuilding is the sixth and final book in a six-volume series published by Routledge addressing the challenges and opportunities of managing natural resources for post-conflict peace building around the world. A launch event for the study is taking place today (May 3) from 12pm to 2pm at the Environmental Law Institute in Washington, D.C. The event will feature a conversation among the editors of the book, as well as a panel discussion of the previous book in the series,Livelihoods, Natural Resources, and Post-Conflict Peacebuilding. Notes to Editors -          The book may be ordered on the Routledge website or on Amazon. -          More information on the Environmental Peacebuilding Partnership is available at www.environmentalpeacebuilding.org. -          Produced by Environmental Law Institute (ELI), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the University of Tokyo, and McGill University, the publication includes 39 chapters on natural resource governance in 50 conflict-affected countries and territories around the world, and draws on the expertise of more than 70 researchers, diplomats, military personnel, and practitioners. -          This work was made possible through the generous support of the Government of Finland, the United States Agency for International Development, the European Union, the Center for Global Partnership of the Japan Foundation, the MacArthur Foundation, and the Compton Foundation. -          The United Nations Environment Program (www.unep.org) is the voice for the environment in the United Nations system. -          The Environmental Law Institute (www.eli.org) is an independent, non-profit research and educational organization based in Washington, DC.