THE HAGUE CONFERENCE ON ENVIRONMENTAL SECURITY AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT 9-12 MAY 2004, THE PEACE PALACE Mersie Ejigu PAES WHAT SHOULD GOVERNMENTS DO NOW?

Findings of the PAES four country study Where there is potential or actual environment induced conflict, there is governance deficit (state failure)

Governance deficit (state failures) Power grab by interest groups/biased policies Vertical and horizontal policy disconnect (national level policies and local practices/ national policies and strategies lack harmony Local people or communities do not trust their governments and clear signs of erosion of state legitimacy

Governance (state) failures (cont.) Governments lack capacity (human and institutional), and at times the willingness to take timely actions that could have prevented conflicts – planning >> implementation >> monitoring >> drawing lessons >>improve policies and actions >> planning No strong enforcement mechanism for existing policies and legislation, e.g., illegal logging

Governance (state) failures (cont.) Wasteful and environmentally unfriendly procurement practices – lack of transparency and accountability Crisis oriented management practices

What can be done? Integrating environmental security concerns in development policy Integrated assessment and management of environmental risks arising from conflicts, natural and manmade disasters and disease, etc. in an integrated and proactive manner. Developing environmental security sensitive PRSs and a moving to the formulation of national sustainable development strategies

What can be done? (cont.) Promote cross sectoral understanding of environmental insecurity –its sources and consequences Strengthening and developing state capacity Developing gender insightful natural resources management policies

What can be done? Strengthening and effectively using traditional knowledge, systems and institutions of conflict management Enhance regional cooperation and integration as a way to reduce inter- state conflict, e.g., SADC, IGAD, NBI, LVEMP

What can be done? International community: –take into account environmental security concerns in designing their conflict management programmes