We face a planetary emergency. A compound environmental crisis and a darkening security horizon are feeding each other in dangerous ways. The processes and institutions designed to address both crises are proving inadequate. The further these crises deepen and intertwine, the harder they will be to solve.
At the same time the urgently needed transition to a zero‑carbon green economy is fraught with risks. But it also offers many opportunities to advance peace, justice and sustainable development. There is a pressing need for decision makers at all levels to understand how the connections work, and to identify practical ways forward.
SIPRI's Environment of Peace initiative aims to raise understanding of how climate change and other environmental crises are transforming what it means to build and maintain peace. Based on the best available evidence from around the world, it highlights the challenges that are already here, the emerging risks, and the pitfalls to avoid in green transitions. It also highlights promising solutions, and illuminates pathways for policy and action.
The initiative launched a major report for policymakers, Environment of Peace: Security in a New Era of Risk at the Stockholm Forum for Peace and Development 2022. As well as building on SIPRI’s world-renowned research and analysis, Environment of Peace has engaged leading policy and academic experts and consulted a diverse group of stakeholders, from young activists to frontline practitioners to experienced diplomats.
The report was also presented at the Stockholm+50 Conference.
Research for the Environment of Peace report is being guided and supported by a panel of respected international experts, who will bring their knowledge and experience to the report and help to communicate its findings:
Margot Wallström (Chair), former Swedish Minister for Foreign Affairs, European Commissioner for the Environment and UN Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict Jörg Balsiger, Director, Institute and Hub for Environmental Governance and Territorial Development at the University of Geneva Helen Clark, former Prime Minister of New Zealand and Administrator, UN Development Programme Ilwad Elman, Chief Operating Officer, Elman Peace Centre, Somalia Chibeze Ezekiel, National Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Champion for Ghana and Coordinator, Strategic Youth Network for Development Arunabha Ghosh, Chief Executive Officer, Council on Energy, Environment and Water, India |
Hindou Ibrahim, SDG advocate and environmental activist, Chad Ma Jun, Director, Institute of Public and Environmental Affairs, China Johan Rockström, Co-director, Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, Attorney General and Minister for Economy, Civil Service and Communications, Fiji Dan Smith, Director, SIPRI Isabel Studer, Founding Director, Sostenibilidad Global, Mexico Ulf Sverdrup, Director, Norwegian Institute of International Affairs |
The Environment of Peace initiative is funded by the governments of Norway, Switzerland and Sweden.
Download the Environment of Peace project brochure in English.
Download translations of the brochure available in Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian and Spanish.
Watch SIPRI Director Dan Smith and Environment of Peace panellists Margot Wallström, Jörg Balsiger, Ilwad Elman, Chibeze Ezekiel, Arunabha Ghosh and Ma Jun talking about the initiative on SIPRI's YouTube channel.
Watch the launch of the Environment of Peace policy report Environment of Peace: Security in a New Era of Risk.
Watch the Environment of Peace summary film.
#EnvironmentOfPeace
For additional enquiries, please contact the Environment of Peace secretariat: environmentofpeace@sipri.org.