Harnessing Science for Environmental Peacebuilding: How science diplomacy can support sustainable peace

art by Victoria Nakada (Japan | USA)

Héléa Khaizourane (Montpellier University of Excellence, UNESCO Chair SIMEV); Steven Pineda (NGO Pentagon Wave for Research and Development); Gilbert Rios (UNESCO Chair SIMEV); Tobias Von Lossow (Clingendael Institute)

Integrating science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) into environmental peacebuilding programmes can empower youth and support sustainable local outcomes.

Context

Throughout history, science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) have impacted and often improved people’s lives. Recent alarming trends in natural resource management require greater efforts to support prevention of resource-related conflicts and ways to bridge disciplines. Science diplomacy usually intervenes in international collaborations between scientists on specific topics. However, what if scientists become active stakeholders of environmental peacebuilding programmes? By involving STEM, new approaches can be developed for collective actions.

While scientific data and technological innovations play a role in environmental assessments, they have not yet been fully exploited as tools of diplomacy. This is in part because more than 5,000 scientific papers are published per day, and it can be difficult for practitioners to access, analyse, select, and use environmental data that are relevant to their projects. This contribution aims to showcase examples of how interdisciplinary relationships can be built with STEM sectors and how educational transformation processes for youth in rural areas can provide solutions to local environmental problems in those communities.

What’s been done

1/ Dealing with data: Sharing knowledge and building bridges across sectors at the local level

SIMEV is an organization that was created in partnership between UNESCO and the Chemistry School of Engineering of Montpellier, France. It brings together water researchers and engineers specialized in providing robust solutions for water decontamination and treatment. This organization complements STEM sectors and acts as a mobile taskforce with the capacity to answer water issues faced by the local population. SIMEV develops a format of valuing STEM data by developing scientific and technological workshops based on concrete local and social water issues reported by the country host (industrial, agricultural, mining contaminations, etc.). This approach mobilizes universities, governments, communities, NGOs, and industrials intervening in the country on conflicts faced on the ground. As a result of such exchanges, partnerships made with industrials allowed the rapid development of water treatment stations. One of our projects was developed in Senegal, where conflicts have been linked to contamination of groundwaters by both fluorine and salt. The excessively high concentration of ions causes numerous diseases, creating economic and social conflicts among communities who have accused each other of intentional contamination.

This cross-sectoral collaboration between local actors, STEM, and industry led to the implementation of robust water technology combined with renewable energies. First, a local and accurate set of data was produced (water analysis, natural resources availability for renewable energy, etc.). Then, the specific design of robust technologies was developed (using adapted membrane filters and operational parameters) followed by the implementation of a pilot station by the industrial partner. In that particular case, STEM specialists provided data on the nuanced causes of these mutually impacting issues as well as a neutral background for reconciliation between communities. Their involvement empowered several young people to maintain the water station in close relation with the local university and to create a start-up.

2/ Youth empowerment for environmental peacebuilding in rural areas

The Pentagon Wave for Research and Development NGO studies the transfer of STEM outcomes (biochemistry, neuroscience, etc.) combined with social sciences to deliver innovative methodologies for peacebuilding and conflict resolution. These methodologies aim to include STEM within the format of dialogue to motivate individuals, guided by experts. In the southern region of Nariño, Colombia, they were used as science diplomatic tools to address concrete challenges faced by peacemakers for the development of long-term projects on the ground, including with regard to social conflicts, self-empowerment, communication and trust.

The STEM methodology was implemented in one of the projects developed in partnership with schools to mobilize youth from rural areas for environmental actions. One hundred and fifty students from coca zones had a major concern with plastic pollution affecting rivers and their natural surroundings, which is also linked to a massive displacement of people coming to work in coca crops. The youth, women, and associations were able to participate actively to develop the project to present community solutions for the transformation of rubbish into recycled tiles. Using the local resources available, they ended with the development of prototypes and design of economic models.

Looking ahead

1/. Work across disciplines 

The integration of STEM expertise into environmental peacebuilding programmes is underdeveloped due to the difficulty of interdisciplinary dialogue, as well as challenges in the access to and orientation of STEM scientists and data. Greater efforts from both sides to link peacemakers and STEM sectors should emerge to address environmental peace projects. In order to overcome those barriers, STEM should be reorganized into clusters of knowledge addressing well defined themes of research and solutions that are easily identifiable by other institutions. This would facilitate cross-sector dialogues and partnerships between decision-makers, peacemakers, civil society organizations, and scientists, as well as easier access to data and expertise.

2/. Involve local population and youth

 The basis of any long-term environmental project is to reach a high level of engagement in the community and to inspire youth to take on leadership roles. To that end, it is essential to provide youth not just with theoretical concepts, but with the tools they need to build trust and leverage their capabilities. The implementation of more practical tools, in both rural and urban areas, should be carefully selected to foster collaboration and entrepreneurship, and to develop the passion, build trust, and enhance problem-solving skills.