Natural Resources and Social Conflict

Abstract

This collection of essays emerged out of an international conference entitled ‘Environmental Violence and Conflict: Implications for Global Security’, which took place in Halifax, Nova Scotia, in February 2010. This conference brought together a wide array of scholars, policymakers and activists to evaluate the role of the non- human environment in precipitating and perpetuating violence. The meeting was made possible by a grant from the Canadian Department of National Defense (DND) under its Security and Defence Forum Special Project Fund. One of the key aims of the conference was to foster deeper engagement between the security and environmental communities, whose expertise are too often isolated from each other. We also hoped to promote dialogue and understanding among key analysts and actors in order to better posi- tion states, communities, non- governmental and inter- governmental organisations to confront emerging threats to environmental security.