A message from UN Secretary-General
Ban Ki-moon to mark the International Day
for Preventing the Exploitation of the Environment
in War and Armed Conflict,
6 November 2010
As we look forward to
the UN Conference on Sustainable Development
in Rio de Janeiro in 2012, we are reminded
of the commitments made by governments nearly
20 years ago to protect the environment
in times of armed conflict. Yet the environment
continues to suffer in warfare, threatening
the well-being of vulnerable populations
and undermining prospects for lasting peace.
Nearly half the world's
people - including the vast majority of
the rural poor - rely directly on natural
resources for their daily sustenance and
income. If we are to achieve the Millennium
Development Goals, and prevent competition
over dwindling resources from contributing
to new conflicts, we must acknowledge the
critical role these resources play in maintaining
peace.
As global population
rises and the demand for resources grows,
the potential for conflicts over resources
could intensify. The impacts of climate
change may exacerbate these threats. In
response, we will need to develop new thinking
on sources of insecurity and ensure that
our preventive diplomacy takes into account
the trans-boundary nature of ecosystems
and environmental degradation.
As I pointed out in
my recent report on peacebuilding in the
aftermath of conflict, 40 per cent of internal
conflicts over the past 60 years were associated
with land and natural resources. Efforts
have already been made by the United Nations
system and others to address these risks.
For example, six United Nations entities
have recently partnered with the European
Union to help countries use natural resource
management for peacebuilding and conflict
prevention.
However, we must invest
even more in policies, institutions and
actions that relieve and manage environmental
stress factors. On this International Day,
let us acknowledge the unique role our natural
resource base plays in averting conflict
and building lasting peace, and let us recommit
to protecting the environment during times
of war.
