11b. The Conflict

When we think about the environment, what comes to your mind in terms of conflicts that need eradicating? What are some ideas that help us think about the environmental movement as a peace movement?

• We can think about making peace with the planet/earth.
• Principles of nonviolence could be also extended to human relationships with nature and the earth. Think about Tolstoy and Gandhi’s choice to adopt a vegetarian diet, based on their nonviolent beliefs.
• Climate change is exacerbating many existing international conflicts and creating new ones.
• Increasingly, violent conflicts in the world are over resources and livelihoods that are being destroyed or compromised by climate change.
• Some of the weapons used in warfare not only kill humans, they have had a devastating impact on the environment – nuclear weapons and testing, napalm and Agent Orange, and biological warfare, for example.
• A new form of human displacement related to the environment – climate refugees – is occurring and growing.
• In many countries, the environment-related conflict and the activism in response to that involves the health and security of Indigenous Peoples.
• This is one of the most challenging peace movements because it calls for individual action on the part of everyone.
• Even while many solutions point to individual responsibility, the role of corporations and the state is crucial.