Blogs & Opinions

For Rural Afghan Women, Agriculture Holds the Potential for Better Jobs

Jan 12, 2017 | Anuja Kar and Mansur Ahmed

In Afghanistan, agriculture continues to be the backbone of the rural economy – about 70% of the population in rural areas is engaged in on-farm…

The Impact of War on Syrian Water is So Vast, You Can See it from Space

Jan 9, 2017 | Kieran Cooke

A new study by researchers at California’s Stanford University has found that the ongoing war has caused a dramatic change in river flows and water availability both…

Missing Voices: Let's Hear Women's Experiences of Climate Change

Jan 6, 2017 | Anne Schulthess

Attending the UN climate talks feels like a big deal. Despite having been in the climate change movement for some years, Bonn was my first…

Legalizing Opium Won't Work for Afghanistan

Jan 5, 2017 | Adam Wunische

In recent months, a debate has been raging over what to do about poppy cultivation in the country. Some are reviving old arguments in favor…

To Avoid the "Conflict Trap", Myanmar Should Protect Its Forests

Jan 4, 2017 | Michael Jenkins and Art Blundell

About a third of Myanmar’s population depend on forests for their livelihoods, and effectively managed forests could make a significant contribution to these livelihoods, and…

The Plan to Dam Asia’s Last Free-Flowing, International River

Jan 4, 2017 | Diana Suhardiman

Thousands of protesters gathered in Myanmar’s North Kachin state on October 4, as fresh violence and clashes between ethnic groups continue to mar the ongoing peace process. But hopes…

Indus Waters Treaty: Hope Despite Rising Tensions

Jan 2, 2017 | Bilal Hussain

With tensions looming high, there is dwindling hope of cooperation between the water-sharing nations of the Indus Basin. The two nuclear states of South Asia,…

South Sudan Oil: A Curse or a Blessing

Dec 31, 2016 | Isaac Yak R. Tutdel

The Petroleum Industry in South Sudan (PISS) was inherited from the continuing Sudan and sustains long historical records. South Sudan is endowed with significant non-renewable…

Averting Water Wars in Asia

Dec 28, 2016 | Brahma Chellaney

Water is a precious resource, for which there is no substitute. One-third of the people in the world facing water stress or water scarcity live…

The Indo-Pakistan Water Conflict

Dec 26, 2016 | Dr. Waseem Ahmad Qureshi

The Indo-Pakistan water conflict dates back to 1948, when India first blocked the river water flow to Pakistan and threatened the agrarian system of the…

Water as a Weapon: Water Scarcity and Regional Security in India

Dec 23, 2016 | Asit K. Biswas, Cecilia Tortajada, and Udisha Saklani

Because of poor water management in all the Indian states and steadily increasing water demands, India is now witnessing increasing conflicts over water allocations from…

The Colombian Peace Deal and Produce Exports

Dec 23, 2016 | Andes Fruits Colombia GM Matt Aaron

In the ever-changing landscape of world agriculture, Colombia is one of the most volatile countries. Personnel shortages habitually occur during the Christmas and Easter seasons,…

High-Tech Agriculture Can Prevent Oncoming Global Water Wars

Dec 23, 2016 | Rupesh Paudyal

Forget about oil or gas – you should be worrying about the less discussed but far more concerning fact that the world is running out…

Water Wars: China Confronts US as Manila Cozies with China

Dec 23, 2016 | Chris Mirasola

The Chinese Navy seized a US underwater drone as it was about to be retrieved by a US naval vessel approximately 50 nautical miles off the Philippines…

Hydropower in Myanmar: For Whose Benefit?

Dec 16, 2016 | Nang Shining

Amidst the many challenges Myanmar now faces, the threats to the environment are urgent – and they are growing more extreme. The situation is especially…

The Environment and Conflict in 2016: A Year in Review

Dec 15, 2016 | Doug Weir

Marking the UN’s international day on conflict and the environment in November, the Special Rapporteur tasked with reviewing and developing the law protecting the environment…

Planetary Security Conference Convenes Amidst “Unsettling New Normal”

Dec 14, 2016 | Schuyler Null

Environmental security? Climate security? How about planetary security. Last week at the venerable Peace Palace in The Hague, nearly 300 experts from around the world met…

Analysis: DRC Uncertainty Could Fuel Tighter Cobalt Regulations

Dec 14, 2016 | Neil Thompson

The DRC is the world’s largest producer of cobalt, accounting for roughly 60% of global production, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS). However,…

Weaponized Oil: Scorched Earth Warfare in Iraq

Dec 11, 2016 | Jillian Sequeira

The military tactic of “scorched earth”–destroying land and resources while entering or retreating from a territory so that enemies cannot benefit from occupying the land–dates…

Food Insecurity: An Agent for Violent Conflict

Dec 11, 2016 | Dominique Von Rohr

Up to two billion people live in countries affected by violence, conflict, and fragility. Often, such political instability goes hand in hand with food insecurity.…

Water Wars: Donald Trump Stirs Pot in South China Sea

Dec 9, 2016 | Chris Mirasola

President-elect Donald Trump took control of the news cycle this week by seeming to adopt a hard line on US-China relations. First, he accepted a phone call…

Land, Conflict and Sustainable Development

Dec 7, 2016 | Caleb Stevens

When I arrived in Liberia six years ago, I was tasked with facilitating the development of the country’s first national land policy. Of the many…

Armed Conflict Catches Animals in the Crossfire

Dec 7, 2016 | Kaitlyn M Gaynor

When people make war, wildlife often becomes a casualty. Explosives and war materials kill living things that are not their targets. Valuable wildlife products, like…

Pearl Harbor, 75 Years Later

Dec 5, 2016 | George Friedman

Wednesday will be the 75th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor. It happened three-quarters of a century ago, but it remains the defining moment…

Modi's Dangerous Anti-Pakistan Antics Could Push the Two Countries towards a Water War

Dec 4, 2016 | Usman Ali Khan

Recently, the distribution of water between two Indian states Tamil Nadu and Karnataka has become a source of conflict over water divide, sweltering both into…

Water Wars: Beijing Charts Post-Election Path Forward

Dec 2, 2016 | Chris Mirasola

Many have wondered how China would respond to uncertainty regarding the US’ role in the Asia-Pacific since last month’s election. If news from this week…

The Environmental Consequences of Iraq's Oil Fires Are Going Unrecorded

Dec 1, 2016 | Doug Weir

The oil fires burning in and around the northern Iraqi town of Qayyarah began in July when retreating Islamic State forces ignited wells, storage tanks…

Why You Should Care about More Than Just “Conflict Minerals” in the Congo

Nov 28, 2016 | Carol Jean Gallo

Starting around the early 2000s, a global human rights advocacy movement was mobilized to raise awareness of how certain raw materials in electronics came from mines…

No Sun over Qayyara

Nov 27, 2016 | Benedetta Argentieri

A haze of thick black smoke obscured the view of the sky. The only source of illumination was a wall of flames at least three-stories…

The New EU Conflict Minerals Regulation — Is It Something to Be Thankful for?

Nov 24, 2016 | Dynda A. Thomas and Christina Economides

Since the US Presidential Election 2 weeks ago, some have been looking forward to a possible repeal of the US conflict minerals rule by a…