The Importance of Un Peacekeeping Mission Orientation and Personnel for Environmental Protection

abstract: UN peacekeeping is increasingly linked to social and economic outcomes other than the provision of security or peace. Peacekeepers can also be associated with improvements in environmental protection. The research discussed here advances theoretical arguments on peacekeepers’ orientation and personnel composition to shed light on the underlying mechanisms of the relationship between peacekeepers and the environment. Through mandates or direct action on the ground, peacekeeping missions can have a green orientation that likely strengthens their commitment to environmental protection. Moreover, civilian personnel can help to develop the state capacity that is necessary to implement and enforce environmental regulations. The author analyzes peacekeeping deployments in post–Cold War Africa and uses fixed effects models and matching. The empirical analysis provides evidence that environmental mission orientation and more civilian personnel, than uniformed personnel, correlate with better local water quality. This research contributes to our knowledge on peacekeeping operations, and it adds to the literature on environmental politics and security studies.