Sunday 17 November 2013

NR Conflicts: What accounts for them?

Value could mean the monetary worth of something, in this case, the market price. It could also mean the relative worth, utility or importance if something. 
With regards to Natural Resources, it can therefore be said, Values is the monetary worth or other importance stakeholders attach to these resources. Due to differences in preferences, as informed by different backgrounds and goals, people or stakeholders attach different values to  Natural Resources.

Michael Jones, several years back identified different kinds of values, which I believe are of high significance to Natural Resources related conflicts, even in recent times. The values identified by Jones includes, Market Values, Subsistent Values, Security Values, Identity Values, among others. 
Knowing values as they are now, could it be said that, the clash of different stakeholder values in either the management or use of Natural Resources results in conflicts?

What of Social Inequality? This could be said to be a social relational process which can affect or limit a groups social class or ranking. An example of this is the caste system, where some people are ranked higher than others. Social inequality can affect or limit access to Natural Resources by some members of a community. There is the likelihood of Social Inequality causing conflict over Natural Resources.

Can Poverty be a factor that causes Natural Resources conflict? Difference in income levels could give the rich access to Natural Resources at the expense of the poor. There is also the likelihood for the rich to recruit the poor as rebels, especially in Natural Resources armed conflicts.

There may be more factors that account for Natural Resources conflicts. Share your opinions as to what some of these factors are. Knowing the factors is a step towards reducing or resolving Natural Resources Conflicts.

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