Environmental Conflicts And Regional Conflict Resolution

<p>This article examines when and how environmental scarcity<br>and degradation lead to conflicts, and how countries resolve<br>conflicts over the sharing of renewable resources between<br>different states. Two research programs related to<br>environmentally-based conflicts are reviewed, and about<br>thirty activities for resolving environmental conflicts are<br>listed. A single example of the Nile Basin Initiative is dealt<br>with in particular detail. Three main conclusions can be<br>drawn:<br>First, scarcity of renewable resources and environmental<br>degradation can lead to conflict when they interfere with each<br>other under certain political and socio-economic conditions.<br>Such conflicts can become serious in the internal settlement<br>process, often in the context of political instability and<br>poverty. International environmental conflicts, however, very<br>rarely lead to military action. Yet the lack of international<br>cooperation when sharing resources, based on the interests of<br>various states, it really prevents the adequate development of<br>these resources, thereby leading to overuse or underutilization<br>of the resource, or to obvious “natural” disasters such as<br>droughts and floods. These negative consequences, in turn,<br>can collectively lead to poverty, migration and conflict.</p>