Natural resources and environmental security

Over the last decade, the increasing destruction of resource infrastructure, theft, or illicit trade in high-value natural resources by terrorist and militant groups, as well as the climate change emergency, have raised urgent concerns on natural resources and environmental security across Africa. This chapter examines new and emerging natural resources and environmental security threats that African states and their armed forces are facing. It evaluates the scope of strategic national defence responses designed to address such novel security challenges. Such responses include increasing budgetary allocation for defence and security programmes; design of integrated 'natural security' legislation and policies; early warning and response systems on natural resource-based conflicts; amnesty and reintegration programmes for militant groups; peacebuilding cooperation with local communities; and alternative conflict resolution mechanisms. It then evaluates the barriers to the effective implementation of national defence policies, and the steps required to increase their overall effectiveness through innovative governance approaches.