What is war? Ancient Roman philosopher, Lucretius, in De Rerum Natura (‘The Nature of Things’) was clear about its identity: it was when humans were at war ‘with Nature’. Today, Lucretius’s ‘Nature’ would be defined as ‘biodiversity’.
The destruction of biodiversity ventilates the connection between conflict, insecure environments and sustainability in the following ways:
- Illegal extraction of fauna, flora and timber
- Land grabbing: habitat destruction, food insecurity
- Illegal mining: commodities from sand and cobalt to oil and minerals
- Water: over-extraction and distribution inequality
- Pollution: fish-stock and marine depletion, air-quality
- Fossil fuels: resource wars, climate-change conflict multiplier
- Bio-security: pandemics and diseases
- ‘Real-time’ insecure environments and conflict environmental destruction
- Post-conflict environmental impacts
All these elements interact with each other at various levels, with climate-change multiplying their vulnerability to overall significantly reduce human security.
With mounting global concern about the impacts of biodiversity loss and environmental effects, armed forces globally will come under greater scrutiny for their engagement with the ‘green space’ in society; for example, the carbon foot-print of the EU military 2019 was the equivalent of 14 million average cars while the UK military comparison was broadly half that figure.
While armed forces in the developed world have highlighted their concerns about the impact of climate change on operational capabilities as well as the generation of ‘non conventional’ threats and reducing their carbon foot-print these also have to be balanced against operational capability.
Furthermore, as military capability is increasingly used to help with natural disasters, pandemic relief and other humanitarian efforts, this raises questions about using the military to assist with civilian emergencies as well as the need for civilian defence forces along with international cooperation for human security.
The Start
The Marjan Centre was formed in 2010 and has steadily developed an inter-disciplinary approach both within King’s College as well as with other academic institutions and outside organisations.
Research
The Marjan Centre’s research programme is designed as a ‘hub’ with transferable material; the two current main projects are (1): Examination of Strategic Wildlife Protection and Involvement Of military forces (SWIPRO); (2): The GreenHelmet Observatory: examination of the many aspects of the relationship between the armed forces and ‘green’ sustainability.
Outreach
The Marjan Centre is committed to distributing its work as wide as possible through education, collaboration and meeting the general public to raise awareness of both the impact and relationship between conflict and the environment; this engagement includes the Marjan Marsh Award given annually to conservationists working in conflict areas (please see ‘Awards’ for full list).
The Marjan Centre is named after a lion named ‘Marjan’, who survived Afghanistan’s violence while living inside Kabul Zoo between 1978-2002 before dying of old age; having lived through vast social upheaval and fighting, ‘Marjan’ the lion has become an icon in both Afghanistan and globally in the representation of both conflict and biodiversity - here is a YouTube link
Publications
2017
- M.L.R. Smith and Jasper Humphreys, ‘Militarised Responses to the Illegal Wildlife Trade’, in The War on Crime: Assessing Militarised Responses to Transnational Organised Crime, Tuesday Reitano and Sasha Jesperson eds., Palgrave MacMillan.
2016
- Joint publication with Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), Whitehall Paper 86 (1), Poaching, Wildlife Trafficking and Security in Africa, MLR Smith and Cathy Haenlein eds.
- Richard Milburn, ‘Gorillas and guerrillas: environment and conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo’, in Environmental crime and social conflict: contemporary and emerging issues, Dr Avi Brisman, Proff. Nigel South and Dr Rob White eds., Ashgate.
- M. L. R Smith and Jasper Humphreys, ‘The poaching paradox; why South Africa’s “rhino wars” shine a harsh spotlight on security and conservation, in Environment crime and social conflict: contemporary and emerging issues, Avi Brisman, Nigel South and Rob White eds., Ashgate.
2014
Curated the following articles in International Affairs 90: 4, July 2014;
- M. L. R. Smith and Jasper Humphreys, ‘The “rhinofication” of South African security’.
- Dr Rosaleen Duffy, ‘Waging a war to save biodiversity: the rise of militarized conservation’.
- Dr Rob White, ‘Environmental insecurity and fortress mentality’.
- Dr Robert A. Francis and Krishna Krishnamurthy, ‘Human conflict and ecosystems services: finding the environmental price of warfare’.
- Dr Richard Milburn. ‘The roots to peace in the Democratic Republic of Congo: conservation as a platform for green development’.
2013
- Saskia Rotshuizen and M. L. R Smith, ‘Of warriors, poachers and peacekeepers: protecting wildlife after conflict’, Cooperation and Conflict 48: 4, pp. 502-21.
2012
- Chad Michael Briggs, ‘Climate security, risk assessment and military planning’, International Affairs 88: 5, September, pp. 1049-64.
- Jasper Humphreys, ‘Resource wars: searching for a new definition’, International Affairs 88: 5, September, pp. 1065-82.
- Richard Milburn, ‘Mainstreaming the environment into post-war recovery: the case for ecological development, International Affairs 88: 5, September, pp. 1083-1100.
2011
- M. L. R. Smith and Jasper Humphreys, ‘Protecting endangered species’, Criminal Justice Matters 83: 1.
- M. L. R. Smith and Jasper Humphreys, ‘War and wildlife: the Clausewitz connection’, International Affairs 83: 1, January, pp. 121-42.
Awards
The Marjan-Marsh Award
The Marjan-Marsh Award is run in partnership with the Marsh Christian Trust: this award is given annually to someone or group that has made an invaluable contribution to an area where conflict and conservation overlap.
The Marsh Christian Trust was started in 1981 by businessman Brian Marsh to honour ‘unsung heroes’; since then the portfolio of awards has grown to over 70 across a wide spectrum that includes conservation, arts, heritage and social welfare. The Marjan-Marsh Award has been given to the following:
(2021) Ahmed Saleh Neema: has been active in protecting all biodiversity connected to Iraq’s central marshes ( locally called Al-Kahla) for the last decade when he changed from being a hunter to a protector; this is his full-time work having previously been employed at the Missan University’s Faculty of Administration and Economics in Amara. Read the full story here. Watch the event here.
(2020): John Kahekwa: from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Founder of the Pole Pole Foundation (POPOF) in Bukavu, in eastern DRC, the foundation works in the Kahusi-Biega National Park, home of the Grauer’s/ Eastern Lowland Gorilla, by providing sustainable development in an area that has known extreme bloodshed. John received the award in 2012 and normally it would not be repeated; however, due to Covid-19 creating extreme operational and financial difficulties for African conservation, the rule was waived to help an old friend who is unaffiliated to any major international organisation which might provide extra support (please also see 2012 below).
(2019): Caucasus Nature Fund (CNF): With the whole Caucasus region being an historic cockpit of conflict the CNF began work in 2008 not only to restore the national parks of Georgia, Azerbaijan and Armenia but also to build bridges to reduce historic tensions. The regional biodiversity is being lost at an alarming rate, the major threats being over-logging, poaching and the illegal wildlife trade as well as over-fishing.
(2018): The Bird Protection and Study Society of Serbia (BPSSS): After the 1990’s Balkan wars stopped, many of the paramilitary groupings morphed into criminal syndicates running everything from guns, humans, drugs, illegal cigarettes and more; lesser - known illegal activity is the trade in wild birds which makes protection work dangerous.
(2017): ‘Community Wildlife Ambassadors’: from South Sudan, western Equatoria region. While the world’s youngest country grapples with legacies of conflict, famine and atrocity, wildlife plays a crucial role as the National Parks and Game Reserves provide ‘islands’ of stability and security; these ‘ambassadors’ explain the purpose of the reserves and the work of the Wildlife Service to the local population.
(2016): (Joint) Stephane Crayne and Professor Keith Somerville: the former for conservation work in dangerous African locations; the latter for extensive writing on African conservation, including his challenging book ‘Ivory: Power and Poaching in Africa’.
(2015): Julia Gorricho: from Colombia. Julia’s extensive first-hand knowledge of biodiversity conservation affected by violent conflict and transnational drug-trafficking in Colombia has led her to initiate a number of important initiatives.
(2014): Julian Rademeyer: from South Africa. An award-winning investigative journalist focused on wildlife crime and poaching, especially through his acclaimed book, ‘Killing for Profit: Exposing the Illegal Rhino Horn Trade.’
(2013): Dr Sonali Ghosh: from India. Awarded for her work on the Manas Project which works to protect the biodiversity in the much contested Manas eco-region in the Himalayas, focusing on the conservation of the Bengal tiger.
(2012): John Kahekwa: from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC); please see 2020 above.
Publications
2017
- M.L.R. Smith and Jasper Humphreys, ‘Militarised Responses to the Illegal Wildlife Trade’, in The War on Crime: Assessing Militarised Responses to Transnational Organised Crime, Tuesday Reitano and Sasha Jesperson eds., Palgrave MacMillan.
2016
- Joint publication with Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), Whitehall Paper 86 (1), Poaching, Wildlife Trafficking and Security in Africa, MLR Smith and Cathy Haenlein eds.
- Richard Milburn, ‘Gorillas and guerrillas: environment and conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo’, in Environmental crime and social conflict: contemporary and emerging issues, Dr Avi Brisman, Proff. Nigel South and Dr Rob White eds., Ashgate.
- M. L. R Smith and Jasper Humphreys, ‘The poaching paradox; why South Africa’s “rhino wars” shine a harsh spotlight on security and conservation, in Environment crime and social conflict: contemporary and emerging issues, Avi Brisman, Nigel South and Rob White eds., Ashgate.
2014
Curated the following articles in International Affairs 90: 4, July 2014;
- M. L. R. Smith and Jasper Humphreys, ‘The “rhinofication” of South African security’.
- Dr Rosaleen Duffy, ‘Waging a war to save biodiversity: the rise of militarized conservation’.
- Dr Rob White, ‘Environmental insecurity and fortress mentality’.
- Dr Robert A. Francis and Krishna Krishnamurthy, ‘Human conflict and ecosystems services: finding the environmental price of warfare’.
- Dr Richard Milburn. ‘The roots to peace in the Democratic Republic of Congo: conservation as a platform for green development’.
2013
- Saskia Rotshuizen and M. L. R Smith, ‘Of warriors, poachers and peacekeepers: protecting wildlife after conflict’, Cooperation and Conflict 48: 4, pp. 502-21.
2012
- Chad Michael Briggs, ‘Climate security, risk assessment and military planning’, International Affairs 88: 5, September, pp. 1049-64.
- Jasper Humphreys, ‘Resource wars: searching for a new definition’, International Affairs 88: 5, September, pp. 1065-82.
- Richard Milburn, ‘Mainstreaming the environment into post-war recovery: the case for ecological development, International Affairs 88: 5, September, pp. 1083-1100.
2011
- M. L. R. Smith and Jasper Humphreys, ‘Protecting endangered species’, Criminal Justice Matters 83: 1.
- M. L. R. Smith and Jasper Humphreys, ‘War and wildlife: the Clausewitz connection’, International Affairs 83: 1, January, pp. 121-42.
Awards
The Marjan-Marsh Award
The Marjan-Marsh Award is run in partnership with the Marsh Christian Trust: this award is given annually to someone or group that has made an invaluable contribution to an area where conflict and conservation overlap.
The Marsh Christian Trust was started in 1981 by businessman Brian Marsh to honour ‘unsung heroes’; since then the portfolio of awards has grown to over 70 across a wide spectrum that includes conservation, arts, heritage and social welfare. The Marjan-Marsh Award has been given to the following:
(2021) Ahmed Saleh Neema: has been active in protecting all biodiversity connected to Iraq’s central marshes ( locally called Al-Kahla) for the last decade when he changed from being a hunter to a protector; this is his full-time work having previously been employed at the Missan University’s Faculty of Administration and Economics in Amara. Read the full story here. Watch the event here.
(2020): John Kahekwa: from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Founder of the Pole Pole Foundation (POPOF) in Bukavu, in eastern DRC, the foundation works in the Kahusi-Biega National Park, home of the Grauer’s/ Eastern Lowland Gorilla, by providing sustainable development in an area that has known extreme bloodshed. John received the award in 2012 and normally it would not be repeated; however, due to Covid-19 creating extreme operational and financial difficulties for African conservation, the rule was waived to help an old friend who is unaffiliated to any major international organisation which might provide extra support (please also see 2012 below).
(2019): Caucasus Nature Fund (CNF): With the whole Caucasus region being an historic cockpit of conflict the CNF began work in 2008 not only to restore the national parks of Georgia, Azerbaijan and Armenia but also to build bridges to reduce historic tensions. The regional biodiversity is being lost at an alarming rate, the major threats being over-logging, poaching and the illegal wildlife trade as well as over-fishing.
(2018): The Bird Protection and Study Society of Serbia (BPSSS): After the 1990’s Balkan wars stopped, many of the paramilitary groupings morphed into criminal syndicates running everything from guns, humans, drugs, illegal cigarettes and more; lesser - known illegal activity is the trade in wild birds which makes protection work dangerous.
(2017): ‘Community Wildlife Ambassadors’: from South Sudan, western Equatoria region. While the world’s youngest country grapples with legacies of conflict, famine and atrocity, wildlife plays a crucial role as the National Parks and Game Reserves provide ‘islands’ of stability and security; these ‘ambassadors’ explain the purpose of the reserves and the work of the Wildlife Service to the local population.
(2016): (Joint) Stephane Crayne and Professor Keith Somerville: the former for conservation work in dangerous African locations; the latter for extensive writing on African conservation, including his challenging book ‘Ivory: Power and Poaching in Africa’.
(2015): Julia Gorricho: from Colombia. Julia’s extensive first-hand knowledge of biodiversity conservation affected by violent conflict and transnational drug-trafficking in Colombia has led her to initiate a number of important initiatives.
(2014): Julian Rademeyer: from South Africa. An award-winning investigative journalist focused on wildlife crime and poaching, especially through his acclaimed book, ‘Killing for Profit: Exposing the Illegal Rhino Horn Trade.’
(2013): Dr Sonali Ghosh: from India. Awarded for her work on the Manas Project which works to protect the biodiversity in the much contested Manas eco-region in the Himalayas, focusing on the conservation of the Bengal tiger.
(2012): John Kahekwa: from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC); please see 2020 above.
Our Partners
Group leads
Jasper Humphreys
Director of Programmes, The Marjan Study Group
Adrian Garside
Visiting Research Fellow, The Marjan Study Group
Richard Milburn
Director of Research, The Marjan Study Group