English title
Ensuring conflict-sensitive conservation and protection of the environment in fragile and conflict situations
Titre en français
Ensuring conflict-sensitive conservation and protection of the environment in fragile and conflict situations
Título en español
Ensuring conflict-sensitive conservation and protection of the environment in fragile and conflict situations
Status
Published
Submission language
English
Working language
English
English files
- 057-V001-Ensuring conflict-sensitive conservation-EN.pdf 2025-03-26 16:29
- 057-V001-Ensuring conflict-sensitive conservation-EN.docx 2025-03-26 16:29
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More information
Proponent (Sponsor)
World Wide Fund for Nature - International ( Switzerland )
Co-sponsors
Fondo Mundial Para la Naturaleza (WWF Colombia) ( Colombia )
Conflict and Environment Observatory ( United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland )
Conservation International ( United States of America )
Zoological Society of London ( United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland )
World Wildlife Fund - US ( United States of America )
Explanatory memorandum
Preambular Point 3 draws from “Protected zones in context: Exploring the complexity of armed conflicts and their impacts on the protection of biodiversity” (https://international-review.icrc.org/articles/protected-zones-in-context-exploring-the-complexity-of-armed-conflicts-924).
Preambular Point 5 and Operative Point 6 refer to the International Law Commission Principles on the Protection of the Environment in Relation to Armed Conflict (https://legal.un.org/ilc/texts/instruments/english/draft_articles/8_7_2022.pdf). These principles include, inter alia, declaring internationally important ecological areas as protected zones and Indigenous territories as potential no-go zones for military activity. Activities to support their fulfillment could include, e.g., developing an insignia indicating the non-combatant status of conservation actors and incorporating the principles into military guidance and rules of engagement.
Preambular Point 6 refers to two reports: https://iucn.org/resources/publication/conflict-and-conservation and https://iucn.org/our-union/commissions/commission-environmental-economic-and-social-policy/our-work/planet-move.
In Operative Point 3, practices that increase the risk of environmental conflict include subsidizing or allowing the over-extraction of finite resources and environmental degradation; militarizing responses to non-violent environmental conflict; and participating in or enabling the trade of illegally harvested resources. Efforts that promote peace through inclusive conservation include preventing the environmental crime and corruption that drive conflict and fund groups who undermine peace; mainstreaming gender-responsiveness across conservation, to ensure women and other gender-expansive identities are equal partners and leaders in lasting peace; recognizing Indigenous or cultural pathways to peace outside of formal peacebuilding processes; and deepening inclusion, consultation, and consent for conservation decisions, especially those that affect livelihoods or access such as 30x30, OECMs, and other area-based mechanisms.
Operative Point 7 refers to the Evaluation of GEF Support in Fragile and Conflict-Affected Situations (https://www.gefieo.org/evaluations/fragility-2020). These recommendations include developing conflict and fragility risk mitigation strategies during project review and design; improving conflict-sensitive programming and safeguards; and building flexibility for GEF-supported projects to adapt to the rapid and substantial changes common in fragile and conflict-affected situations.
Preambular Point 5 and Operative Point 6 refer to the International Law Commission Principles on the Protection of the Environment in Relation to Armed Conflict (https://legal.un.org/ilc/texts/instruments/english/draft_articles/8_7_2022.pdf). These principles include, inter alia, declaring internationally important ecological areas as protected zones and Indigenous territories as potential no-go zones for military activity. Activities to support their fulfillment could include, e.g., developing an insignia indicating the non-combatant status of conservation actors and incorporating the principles into military guidance and rules of engagement.
Preambular Point 6 refers to two reports: https://iucn.org/resources/publication/conflict-and-conservation and https://iucn.org/our-union/commissions/commission-environmental-economic-and-social-policy/our-work/planet-move.
In Operative Point 3, practices that increase the risk of environmental conflict include subsidizing or allowing the over-extraction of finite resources and environmental degradation; militarizing responses to non-violent environmental conflict; and participating in or enabling the trade of illegally harvested resources. Efforts that promote peace through inclusive conservation include preventing the environmental crime and corruption that drive conflict and fund groups who undermine peace; mainstreaming gender-responsiveness across conservation, to ensure women and other gender-expansive identities are equal partners and leaders in lasting peace; recognizing Indigenous or cultural pathways to peace outside of formal peacebuilding processes; and deepening inclusion, consultation, and consent for conservation decisions, especially those that affect livelihoods or access such as 30x30, OECMs, and other area-based mechanisms.
Operative Point 7 refers to the Evaluation of GEF Support in Fragile and Conflict-Affected Situations (https://www.gefieo.org/evaluations/fragility-2020). These recommendations include developing conflict and fragility risk mitigation strategies during project review and design; improving conflict-sensitive programming and safeguards; and building flexibility for GEF-supported projects to adapt to the rapid and substantial changes common in fragile and conflict-affected situations.
Geographic scope
Global
Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF)
Target 4: Halt species extinction, protect genetic diversity, and manage human-wildlife conflicts
Target 5: Ensure sustainable, safe and legal harvesting and trade of wild species
Target 11: Restore, maintain and enhance nature’s contributions to people
Sustainable Development Goals
Goal 14 - life below water
Goal 15 - life on land
Goal 16 - peace, justice and strong institutions
Threats and drivers
Climate change & severe weather
Human intrusions & disturbance