The UN Environment Management Group (EMG), in collaboration with the Geneva Centre for Security Policy, convened a Nexus Dialogue in Geneva on 24 January 2019 to explore the interconnections between environmental sustainability, peace and security, and their implications for achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Bringing together representatives from UN agencies, governments, civil society and academia, the dialogue examined how climate change, environmental degradation, weak natural resource governance and environmental crime can contribute to conflict and insecurity. Discussions also highlighted the environmental impacts of peacekeeping and security operations, underscoring the need to integrate environmental considerations into peace and security policies and practices.
Participants emphasized the importance of multidisciplinary and multi-stakeholder approaches that connect environmental governance, conflict prevention and sustainable development. Key priorities included strengthening institutions, promoting cooperation across local, national and international levels, empowering young people as agents of change, and building innovative partnerships to address shared challenges.
The dialogue underscored the importance of recognizing environmental sustainability as an integral dimension of peace and security, particularly in the implementation of SDG 16 on peaceful and inclusive societies. It called for stronger UN system-wide cooperation, integrated policymaking and the exchange of good practices to advance mutually reinforcing environmental, peace and development objectives.