David Jensen launches the UNEP report as Anita Pratap looks on.  Photo: Mugifumi Akimoto/UNU-IAS

Summary of Event:

Livelihoods in the developing world often are closely linked to natural resources, such as water, land, or timber. Changes in the availability of these resources – through climate change and other environmental changes – coupled with demographic changes and political factors are increasingly recognized as causes of conflict. On the other hand, the UNEP report From Conflict to Peacebuilding: The Role of Natural Resources and the Environment suggests that the environment presents opportunities for achieving peace and development through sustainable livelihoods, dialogue, and confidence-building. The sustainable use of natural resources can be a driver of livelihoods restoration, peacebuilding, and economic prosperity.

United Nations University Institute of Advanced Studies (UNU-IAS) and University of Tokyo Graduate School of Frontier Sciences convened a joint International Seminar, “Natural Resources and the Environment: Implications for Conflict Resolution, Peacebuilding, and Livelihoods” on 22 April 2009 from 14:00 to 17:00. The seminar marked the Japan launch of the UNEP report, and a roundtable followed, which showcased emerging research of the two institutes, confirming that the environment and management of natural resources are key to the success or failure of livelihoods restoration and peacebuilding.

Further Resources:

	Download the Meeting Report here.
	For the Programme, download the event announcement here.
	Download the Speakers' Biographies here.
	See the press release here.

View the UNU-IAS webcast of the event:

Welcoming Remarks by Govindan Parayil, Director of UNU-IAS and Vice-Rector, UNU
 [Archived Video-  1 minutes]

Opening Remarks by Claudia ten Have, Managing Research Fellow and Coordinator of the Sustainable Development Governance Programme, UNU-IAS
 [Archived Video-  2 minutes]

Opening Remarks by Mikiyasu Nakayama, Professor of the Department of International Studies, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences at the University of Tokyo
 [Archived Video-  3 minutes]

UNEP Report Launch
From Conflict to Peacebuilding: The Role of Natural Resources and the Environment by David Jensen, Head of Policy and Planning Team of the UN Environment Programme’s Post-Conflict and Disaster Management Branch, Geneva, Switzerland
 [Archived Video-  20 minutes]

Comments by Anita Pratap, Former South Asia Bureau Chief, CNN
 [Archived Video-  8 minutes]

Comments by Carl Bruch, Senior Attorney and Co-Director of International Programs at the Environmental Law Institute (ELI)
 [Archived Video-  13 minutes]

Comments by Jon Unruh, Associate Professor, Department of Geography, McGill University
 [Archived Video-  7 minutes]

Q&A
 [Archived Video-  25 minutes]

Climate Change, Conflict and Livelihoods by Christian Webersik, JSPS – UNU Postdoctoral Fellow, UNU-IAS
 [Archived Video-  21 minutes]

Demobilization, Reintegration, and Natural Resources in Afghanistan by Mami Sato,University of Tokyo
 [Archived Video-  22 minutes]

Water Resource Management, Agricultural Productivity, and Flood Control: A Case Study of Japanese Water Projects after World War II by Mikiko Sugiura, University of Tokyo
 [Archived Video-  16 minutes]

Q&A
 [Archived Video-  17 minutes]

Closing Comments
 [Archived Video-  7 minutes]

Contact:

Yoshie Oya, Programme Associate
Tel: 045-221-2334 Email: oya@ias.unu.edu