Ground for Peace

For more than three billion people, land is core to their survival, wellbeing, and dignity. However, with between 20–40% of total global land area degraded or degrading, many are seeing this vital resource disappear before their eyes. As a result, competition and disputes over access to and use of land are increasing and becoming prominent in many conflicts. At the same time, conflicts increase the fragility of the institutions, essential services, infrastructure and governance that are critical for strengthening resilience to a changing climate and environment. This report sets the political case for land restoration as a powerful route towards international peace and security, identifies key enablers for land restoration to promote cooperation between countries, and outlines recommendations to elevate the land, peace and security agenda and secure more and better financing.

Despite growing global awareness of the importance of land and ecosystem restoration in addressing the climate crisis, less attention has been paid to its promising – yet largely untapped – potential to foster international peace and cooperation. This report aims to fill this gap by setting the political case for land and ecosystem restoration as a powerful route towards international peace and security, addressing the following questions:

• What are the linkages between land degradation, conflict and insecurity that 
  matter most between countries and societies in transboundary geographies? 
• What are the key enablers for land restoration and forest conservation initiatives 
  to promote cooperation across borders and achieve peace-positive outcomes, 
  especially in FCAS? 
• What is the current financial landscape for cross-border land and ecosystem 
  restoration initiatives, and what significant gaps remain in enhancing peace and 
  security priorities?
• What are the critical next steps to advance the land-peace-security nexus agenda 
  and bring it to the forefront of the global security arena?

As a result, the authors identified five key pathways linking land, land-based resource and ecosystem degradation to conflict and insecurity:

The analysis conducted in this report also identified five key enablers for land and ecosystem restoration initiatives to promote cooperation and peace in FCAS and post-conflict areas, with a focus on trans-boundary contexts.