degraded natural resources on conflict, instability,
and fragility. Fragility offers a useful bridging concept
between conflict instability and natural resource chal-
lenges and opportunities, particularly in the direct in-
teractions with social and economic dynamics. Recent
USAID and Army efforts seek to build upon emerging
research in this area and to develop linkages between
fragility and natural resource sectors, such as energy,
water, agriculture, etc.^5
Natural Resources and Security
In 2008, the UN Environmental Programme (UNEP)
created the Expert Advisory Group on Environment, Con-
flict and Peacebuilding, coordinated with the International
Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD). Members of
this advisory group, working with the IISD and UNEP staff,
authored From Conflict to Peacebuilding, the Role of Natu-
ral Resources and the Environment (UNEP 2009). Also in
2009, Ms. Sharon Burke of the Center for a New American
Security (CNAS) published Natural Security. These two
references are examples of a growing awareness of
and focus on linkages between natural resources and
conflict. As earlier mentioned, the UNEP publication
state “over the last sixty years at least forty percent of
all intrastate conflicts have a link to natural resourc-
es” (UNEP 2009) and highlights civil wars in Liberia,
Angola, and Democratic Republic of the Congo. It
points out if these underlying issues are not managed
in peace agreements or post-conflict efforts, a relapse
to conflict is twice more likely to occur (UNEP 2009).
- The academic basis identifying the relationships between
the fragility and environmental factors has been provided in work
by Homer-Dixon 1994, Homer-Dixon 1999, NATO 1999, Miguel
et al. 2004, Hearne 2008, Buhaug et al. 2008, Burke et al. 2009, and
Alcorn 2008.