As the connections between environmental degradation and conflict become increasingly clear, the potential of nature in peacebuilding is more significant than ever. Nature-based solutions (NbS) are actions taken to sustainably protect, manage and restore ecosystems. At the same time they provide benefits to human well-being and social cohesion. Together with UNEP and partner organizations, PAX has launched an online catalogue with case studies of NbS projects from around the world, exploring how environmental interventions can contribute to peace and security and determining the factors conducive to such results.
By addressing the root causes of conflicts, NbS have the potential to contribute to sustainable, long-lasting, and inclusive peace. Activities such as cleaning up conflict-related pollution and community-based natural resource management can:
- Provide stable ecosystem services
- Improve livelihoods
- Strengthen social cohesion
Wondering how? Looking for inspiration? Take a look at the diverse examples in the catalog on the Ecosystem for Peace website on the Ecosystem for Peace website and explore the interactive map with case studies from around the world.
Good practices and challenges
This catalog of Nature-based Solutions for Peace aims to inspire and inform decision-makers and program managers when designing climate and environmental security interventions. Dive into the details of each implemented Nature-based Solution to learn how exactly they contributed to peace, find out what were the elements of good practices as well as challenges in implementing those projects, or browse and filter through the entire database to find example projects relevant for you.
International recognition
Over the past decade, PAX has been leading research and advocacy around the environmental dimension of wars and how this impacts lives, livelihoods and future generations in conflict-affected areas. The international recognition on the linkages between conflict and environmental degradation through various UN processes and resolutions now provides useful steppingstones to address these impacts. We believe these actions for nature in the NbS catalogue can contribute to prevent, minimise and mitigate these impacts.
We are grateful to UNEP for the fruitful collaboration in establishing this catalog, as well as to the many helpful experts for their review and feedback from various organizations, including African Civil Society Biodiversity Alliance, APEM, GER Rwanda, EIP, ECCP, IUCN, Kounkuey Design Initiative, Mercy Corps, Northern Rangeland Trust, Oxfam, SIPRI, Search for Common Ground, Sokhai Gakhai International, SwedBio, Somali Greenpeace Association, WANEP Nigeria, and World Vision.