Resource information
Natural resources such as land, water, timber, minerals, metals and oil are vitally important sources of livelihoods, income and influence for countries and communities around the globe. When natural resources are poorly managed or inequitably shared, however, or when business operations are implemented without due consideration for context and communities, they can contribute to tensions that can escalate into violent conflict, or feed into and exacerbate pre-existing conflict dynamics. Moreover, population growth and environmental degradation are intensifying competition over already scarce resources, such as land and water, and climate change threatens to increase such competition even further. It comes as no surprise, then, that many experts and governments expect natural resources to become key drivers in a growing number of disputes, with potentially significant consequences for international, regional, and national peace and security. In light of these risks, renewed attention needs to be paid to mechanisms for mitigating and resolving natural resource disputes. One particularly useful tool is mediation, which can be defined as a non-adversarial and collaborative process through which an impartial third party helps parties in a dispute reach a resolution through interest-based negotiations.
This guide seeks to demonstrate the value of mediation as an effective tool for resolving disputes around natural resources. Drawing from decades of hands-on mediation experience, it offers practical advice for mediation professionals and supporting institutions involved in localized or transboundary natural resource disputes, or those engaged in peace processes where natural resources play a critical role. As a starting point, it offers a structured methodology for mediating natural resource conflicts, which is divided into four phases: assessment; pre-negotiation preparedness; negotiation; and, implementation. Against this framework, the guide also examines sector-specific challenges that may arise when mediating conflicts over extractive resources, land, or water, and provides guidance on intervention strategies for natural resources in the broader context of peace negotiations.
The guide culminates with seven key messages for improving the practice of mediating disputes over natural resources:
Context is extremely important
Effective mediation requires a clear but nuanced mapping of actors and interests
Equal access to impartial scientific and technical information about the resource in dispute is key
Careful attention is needed to identify the stakeholders that should be engaged in the mediation process
Mediation should aim for collaboration over shared benefits, which can generate the trust needed to tackle other issues
Mediation techniques are available to overcome critical impasses and entrenched positions
Natural resource issues in peace negotiations are frequently addressed to lay the foundation for future reforms, and not necessarily to resolve problems immediately
[Summary adapted from source]
