Institute for Economics & Peace

🆕Mexico Peace Index 2024: Fourth consecutive year of improvement amidst persistent organised crime challenges. Produced annually by the Institute for Economics & Peace (IEP), the Mexico Peace Index provides a comprehensive measure of peacefulness in Mexico, including trends, analysis and estimates of the economic impact of violence in the country. Download the full report. https://lnkd.in/gC6BFKDF

How do ecological threats and climate change influence conflict? IEP research reveals a clear connection between ecological threats, seasonal climatic changes, and armed conflict. The relationship is evident when examining the correlation between the ETR Overall Score, which aggregates ecological risk into a single score, and the internal peace measure of the Global Peace Index, which aggregates violence and conflict within a nation’s borders. The average level of ecological threat is strongly correlated with internal peacefulness (r=0.63). IEP analysis finds that changes in a country’s ETR indicators also have a considerable impact upon both conflict onset and duration. A shift in score of 25% has the following impact: • Increasing food insecurity increased the risk of conflict by 36% • Increasing natural hazard exposure increased the risk of conflict by 21% • Increasing water risk increased the risk of conflict by 18% Be a part of the solution: • Enhance your understanding of the connection between ecological threats and armed conflict in our Ecological Threat Report. Download for free https://lnkd.in/gVnxQPN4 • Make choices to reduce your ecological impact & support sustainable practices. • Advocate for policies and initiatives that address ecological threats & conflict prevention. • Share this post to raise awareness about the urgent need for addressing ecological threats.

At the African Union EO Training, Rotary-IEP Positive Peace Activator Grace Anuforo, along with Chairperson of Rotary District 9125 Roy-Stanley Chijioke Nwafor, presented an award on behalf of Rotary International and the Institute for Economics & Peace to the African Union Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security. This award ceremony followed a presentation on how the eight pillars of #PositivePeace bring about sustainable peace.

1.1 billion people live in 30 hotspot countries where societal resilience is unlikely to be sufficient to withstand the impact of their ecological threats. Ecological threats, such as rapid population growth, water risk, and food insecurity, are intensified by climate change. They compound fragility, driving displacement and exacerbating tensions over scarce resources. IEP research reveals that changes in a country’s ETR indicators also have a considerable impact upon both conflict onset and duration. A shift in score of 25% has the following impact: • Increasing food insecurity increased the risk of conflict by 36% • Increasing natural hazard exposure increased the risk of conflict by 21% • Increasing water risk increased the risk of conflict by 18% Resilience building will enable the countries to protect their population and infrastructures from ecological shocks and conduct robust social and economic recoveries in the aftermath. For more data and insights, read the Ecological Threat Report 2023. Download for free ⬇️ https://lnkd.in/gVnxQPN4

Apart from a surge in Israel and Palestine, terrorism has shifted from MENA to the Sahel within the last three years. The Sahel region accounted for 48% of total terrorism deaths globally in 2023, compared to 42% in 2022 and just 1% in 2007. Burkina Faso, Niger, Nigeria, and Cameroon each saw death tolls increase by at least 33% over the past year. Even with decreases in deaths in Mali and Chad, total deaths in the Sahel were 38% higher than in 2022. Gain insights into the trends in terrorism since 2007 in the latest Global Terrorism Index 2024 report. https://lnkd.in/eUtbVYCv

As the world continues to grapple with conflicts of all kinds, from international disputes to domestic violence, peace studies have become an indispensable tool for resolution and prevention. From grassroots initiatives for conflict resolution to advocating for policy change, peace studies employ negotiation, dialogue, and mediation to help create peaceful solutions. 'It's almost hard to believe that this practical approach to understanding and addressing the root causes of conflict was once viewed as subversive and dangerous,' writes IEP's Darren Lewis. https://lnkd.in/gxwpPukW

Despite the common perception that #climatechange is directly linked to violent #armedconflict, the relationship is more complex. Climate change is often referred to as a ‘threat amplifier’, and whilst there is evidence to suggest that it makes conflicts worse, it is unlikely to cause them. Rather, the combination of seasonal and long-term climate changes, short-term ecological threats, a history of conflict, a lack of resilience and weak institutions leads to an increased risk of conflict. Here are some of the way you can contribute: • Enhance your understanding of the connection between ecological threats and armed conflict. Read the Ecological Threat Report: https://lnkd.in/gVnxQPN4 • Make choices to reduce your ecological impact & support sustainable practices • Advocate for policies and initiatives that address ecological threats & conflict prevention • Share this post to raise awareness about the urgent need for addressing ecological threats and building resilience.

#Conflict remains the primary driver of terrorist activity. Findings from the Global Terrorism Index 2024 report: ◾ Between 2007 and 2023, there were 145,376 terrorism deaths, with 98% occurring in countries experiencing conflict. ◾ The 16 countries most impacted by terrorism were all defined as being in conflict. ◾ The concentration of terrorism deaths in conflict zones has remained above 95% since 2015. ◾ Terror attacks in countries in conflict also tend to be deadlier than those committed outside conflict zones. ◾ Countries involved in conflict are more susceptible to terrorism in part because of the lack of a fully functioning state. Terrorism is also one of many tactics employed by insurgencies and paramilitaries in a civil conflict.

#Mali has become an increasingly prominent conflict zone over the past decade, as violence across the Sahel has increased, with more external actors becoming involved. The country saw a 154% increase in conflict-related deaths, including a nearly four-fold increase in deaths from violence targeting civilians. There were nearly 5,000 battlefield deaths in 2022. The current crisis is also fuelled by factors such as climate change, poor governance, terrorism, and conflict over natural resource extraction. The country ranks 153rd in the Global Peace Index 2023. Full report https://lnkd.in/gKQrGytA

Increasingly volatile attacks against the freedom of the media and falling trust in news sources persist, despite overall improvements in the Free Flow of Information. On this World Press Freedom Day, let's reflect on the vital role of a free press in fostering Positive Peace. https://lnkd.in/gHnHuFnR