Military perspectives on environmental considerations in peace-keeping operations.
As the number of peace operations has surged over the past sixty-five years, so has the range of duties that such operations are expected to perform. One area that has come under increasing focus is environmental stewardship––the management and protection of the environment and natural resources—in post-conflict situations. In many such settings, the environment and natural resources play a crucial role in physical, social, and economic recovery. By making a positive contribution to environmental protection and natural resource management, the military component of peace operations can help shape the overall post-conflict situation and determine how future peace operations will be perceived.
This chapter includes:
(1) a brief discussion of the role of the military in protecting the environment and managing natural resources in peace operations;
(2) an overview of environmental considerations at each phase of the operational life cycle;
(3) a review of current environmental doctrine for peace operations;
(4) a discussion of environmental awareness and training;
(5) a discussion of environmental intelligence;
(6) a description of various approaches to sustainable operations, with examples drawn from various peace operation efforts;
and (7) a brief concluding note on the future of peace operations in relation to natural resources and the environment.
