The National Interest sponsored an
online debate on the links between natural resources and conflict featuring David Victor,
Thomas Homer-Dixon, Michael Klare,
Sherri Goodman, and
Paul Kern.
Georgetown University’s Colin Kahl argues that Kenya’s present strife is largely due to
deep-seated ethnic land grievances, while a
Council on Foreign Relations brief claims that it is partially the result of
demographic factors—the country’s “youth bulge,” for instance.
“
Weathering the Storm: Options for Framing Adaptation and Development,” a new report from the World Resources Institute, reviews climate change adaptation efforts from throughout the developing world, and explores how adaptation activities intersect with poverty, environmental degradation, and other challenges.
An article from IRIN News examines whether or not the extraction of Mozambique’s mineral resources—including heavy metals, coal, natural gas, and perhaps oil—is likely to reduce the country’s widespread poverty.
Thousands of people in Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Malawi have fled the flooding caused by the overflowing Zambezi River, reports BBC News. “Damage to crops and roads has raised fears of food shortages, and aid agencies have also warned of increased risk of waterborne diseases and diseases caused by poor sanitation.”