Environment, Natural Resources, and Armed Conflict

This course analyzes the relationships between natural resource dependency, environmental degradation, and armed violence. It is divided into three parts. The first part focuses on non-renewable natural resources and discusses the political and economic reasons why major oil and gemstone exporters are more likely to experience civil war. The second part investigates to what extent environmental degradation (driven, among others, by population growth and climate change) increases the risk of armed conflict, and discusses several theories that seek to explain why extreme weather events such as droughts or cold waves are often associated with political violence. Finally, the third part of the course is devoted to the environmental consequences of armed conflicts, and explores the various pathways linking warfare to environmental degradation.

Sciences Po Grenoble - UGA awards credits based on the ECTS system. Contact hours listed under a course description may vary due to the combination of lecture-based and independent work required for each course. CEA CAPA's recommended credits are based on the ECTS credits assigned by Sciences Po Grenoble - UGA (2 ECTS credits equals 1 U.S. credit therefore, 5 ECTS credits is equivalent to 2.5 U.S. credits).