Witnessing the Environmental Impacts of War: Environmental Case Studies From Conflict Zones Around the World

There is an inextricable link between the protection of the environment and the protection of civilians across in the armed conflict-affected areas. This publication explains the breadth and complexity of conflict-linked environmental harm. The case studies presented outline why attention to the environment in relation to armed conflicts is necessary. From illegal forestry in post-conflict Colombia to the scenes of wanton agricultural destruction in Iraq, the conflict-induced governance gaps leave not only civilians but the environment directly in harm’s way. Ongoing environmental risks from fighting in industrialised areas in Ukraine and Syria illustrate the toxic legacies of warfare.

Click here to download the report.

  Read More

Gender, Climate & Security

The impact of Climate Change has already increased the insecurity of vulnerable communities in serval regions across the globe, including exacerbating the loss of livelihoods, food insecurity, competition over scarce resources, human mobility and political and economic instability. Read More

Remote Sensing for Risk Analyses in Fragile Contexts

This study, conducted in 2020, sheds light on a variety of potentials and pitfalls of remote sensing for disaster risk analyses in fragile contexts. This topic gains importance in light of the need to formulate more systemic and better-integrated approaches to risk-informed development. Evidence-based policy recommendations encourage organizational learning and action such as resource pooling, project evaluation and multi-stakeholder cooperation.

The research reveals cutting-edge practical experiences from a dozen in-depth expert interviews, including the UNEP/OCHA Joint Environment Unit and UN-SPIDER, the aerospace community NASA, DLR and Maxar, the German development agency GIZ and civil protection authority BBK. Supported by an extensive body of interdisciplinary literature, this work offers a contribution to understanding ambiguous feedback effects of digital technologies in dynamic environments.

The study is available in English only. Read More

Energypedia

Energypedia is a wiki platform for collaborative knowledge exchange on renewable energy, energy access, and energy efficiency topics in developing countries. The wiki platform is working towards removing the knowledge barriers and expanding the diffusion of information addressing the topics renewable energy, energy efficiency and sustainable energy access for all. Read More

UNEP/OCHA Joint Environment Unit – Response Activities Factsheet

This factsheet describes the emergency response services undertaken by the UN Environment/OCHA Joint Unit following assistance requests by Member States. Read More

The Knowledge Platform on Gender, Natural Resources, Climate and Peace

The Knowledge Platform on Gender, Natural Resources, Climate and Peace is provided by the Joint Programme of UN Environment, UN Women, the UN Development Programme and the UN Peacebuilding Support Office. The platform brings together practitioners, researchers, policymakers and other actors to share resources on programming and research. Read More

UNEP/OCHA Joint Environment Unit – Disaster Waste Management Factsheet

This factsheet describes the supporting role the UN Environment/OCHA Joint Unit (JEU) undertakes during disaster waste management activities. Read More

UNEP/OCHA Joint Environment Unit – FEAT Factsheet

This factsheet describes the Flash Environmental Assessment Tool (FEAT), a tool developed by the UN Environment/OCHA Joint Unit (JEU) to help humanitarians assess the impacts of chemical accidents. Read More

Climate Change and Health: An Urgent New Frontier for Humanitarianism

A policy briefing provided by the international research collaboration The Lancet Countdown, offering an updated analysis of the intersection of climate change and global health. The briefing integrates the findings of the 2018 Lancet Countdown on Climate Change’s International Report with MSF’s documented on-the-ground experiences. Read More

WWF – Green Guide to Disaster Risk Reduction

The WWF Environment & Disaster Management (EMD) program's Green Guide to Disaster Risk Reduction module 9 can be used for disaster risk reduction specialists to increase their awareness of appropriate and useful integration of environmental considerations into risk assessment and risk reduction. Read More

IUCN – From Commitment to Action

This publication by International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) provides a briefing on transforming disaster risk reduction with ecosystem management. Read More

Prepare Center

PrepareCenter.org is an initiative established by the Red Cross which provides reports, case studies and training materials to encourage better preparedness for emergencies. It also provides insights and tools to integrate themes such as climate change, environment and urban resilience in disaster preparedness. Read More