Natural resources constitute the material basis of our human societies: without them, we would not be able to feed ourselves, clothe ourselves, shelter ourselves, work, move around... Behind these actions of our daily life lies an exponential consumption of natural resources. To meet this demand, we have never mined, extracted, channeled so much.
Description
At the start of the 21st century, we have never built so many houses, produced so much meat and vegetables, played so many games on our smartphones,
We might as well Skype with our loved ones... Behind these actions of our daily lives lies an exponential consumption of natural resources. To meet this demand, we have never mined, extracted, channeled so much…
However, this model East not durable. We have proof of this every day by observing the environmental damage caused to our planet, and the conflicts in which many actors are involved, mainly in countries of the South. Indeed, everything that revolves around natural resources is conducive to the emergence of conflict: ownership, management, distribution of benefits and, naturally, responsibility for the negative human and environmental consequences of exploitation.
So, what are today's strategic resources? How
are they exploited, where, and in what quantity? And how do conflicts form around these strategic resources? What do these new conflicts look like?
Is it possible to avoid, mitigate or resolve a conflict linked to natural resources? How does Belgium position itself in the face of the excessive exploitation of certain resources? Why should Belgian citizens feel concerned by these conflicts, and how can they intervene in these dynamics?
