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Responsible and Sustainable Development

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Traveler's Philanthropy Handbook
February 2011 | Handbook by Martha Honey,  Center for Responsible Travel (CREST)
Tourism offers an alternative route to economic development that could complement or supplement traditional economic activity.This  handbook covers topics such as the role of tourism in promoting community development, 'dos and don'ts' of philanthropic giving, and ways sustainable tourism could promote social equity and stability.

Environmental Sustainability and Peace in a Chaning World
November 19, 2010 | Guest panelists Dr. James Lee of American University and Shilpa Patel of the International Finance Corporation, discussed the implications of climate change in conflict affected areas.

Food Security and Peacebuilding in Conflict-Affected Regions
May 2010 | On the Issues by Raymond Gilpin
As President Barack Obama outlines how the U.S. will address current and future security threats in his National Security Strategy, USIP's Raymond Gilpin discusses why hunger is relevant to our concerns, and why providing humanitarian aid is not necessarily the best solution.

Will Addressing Horizontal Inequalities Reduce the Likelihood of Political Violence?
February 2010 | There is a growing body of evidence that group dynamics can help explain the nature and likelihood of political violence. This event discussed questions like: What types of horizontal inequalities make political violence most likely?  What factors determine group mobilization?  Is there a tipping point? How should conflict management and peace promotion strategies better account for horizontal inequalities?

 Natural Resources: Plunder or Peace
January 2010 | Even though the mismanagement of natural resources lies at the heart of many enduring conflicts, the sustainable and equitable use of petroleum, mineral and agricultural resources could help prevent conflict and promote lasting peace.  This event examined the underpinnings of resource management in resource-rich, conflict-prone states and explored options for conflict-sensitive strategies that could break the cycle of violence and lay the foundation for sustainable economic development.

 Tourism in the Developing World
October 2009 | USIP Special Report by Martha Honey and Raymond Gilpin
A new USIP report examines how the $1 trillion tourist industry can help strengthen stability in developing countries. 

 The Impact of Conflict on Households: Pointers for Practitioners
April 2009 | This public event looked at how different types of conflict affect economic behaviors at the household level. The presenters, Tilman Brueck and Kati Schindler,  discussed the impacts of conflict through the use of household survey data collected from both Mozambique and Rwanda, where post-conflict environments impaired household boundaries, asset endowments, and the types of income-generating activities households engaged in. They also offered a set of policy recommendations for decision-makers and practitioners.

Red Flags, Green Flags: How Big Business Can Help Promote Peace in Conflict Zones
August 2008 | The pros and cons of large corporations operating in fragile environments have been widely debated; particularly with respect to extractive industries. On the one hand, their investments and engagements could improve economic prospects and potentially promote peace. On the other hand, they contribute to exacerbate tensions inadvertently or deliberately by adopting policies and practices that are not conflict-sensitive. In some cases they contravene international law.

Promoting Business and Peace in Conflict-Affected Countries
June 2008 | Viable economic progress in nations and communities help promote peace by raising living standards, promoting investment and creating a constituency for improved political and economic governance. Business development is a crucial, but often overlooked, component of peacebuilding in most conflict-affected countries. Many domestic and international stakeholders have yet to make the transition from humanitarianism to effectively supporting the development of private enterprise. This workshop examined theoretical frameworks, empirical work and recent experience in this emerging field.

These projects emphasize the role of community-led, sustainable, and responsible development in creating successful long-run peace. The center’s work focuses on anti-corruption measures, a strong and sustainable private sector, and corporate social responsibility.

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Related Blogs on INEC

The International Network for Economics and Conflict (INEC) is a comprehensive one-stop web tool for practitioners of economic development working in fragile states, periodic blogs from scholars in the field including Nobel prize winners. It offers information on the latest research and policy in the field, was designed and developed after research and consultation concluded that there was a gap in resources provided to development practitioners working in fragile states. Below are blogs related to responsible and sustainble development:

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Handbook on Tourism and Peacebuilding

Tourism offers an alternative route to economic development that could complement or supplement traditional economic activity.  This project will involved the preparation of a handbook covering topics such as the role of tourism in promoting community development, 'dos and don'ts' of philanthropic giving, and ways sustainable tourism could promote social equity and stability.

View the Travelers Philanthropy Handbook

In line with this project, the center has released a USIP Special Report on Tourism in the Developing World by Martha Honey and Raymond Gilpin in late 2009, the handbook is forthcoming fall 2010.

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Democratic Republic of the Congo

Private Sector Anti-Corruption Workshops and Model Code in the DRC 

Decades of conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo have discouraged private investment, destroyed infrastructure, hindered development and considerably weakened the capacity of governance institutions. The weak regulatory and institutional frameworks created a vacuum that has precipitated and sustained corruption.  USIP will help promote peace by building capacity for anti-corruption and ethics management in the DRC's business sector and developing a set of anti-corruption guidelines that will be adopted by the business community.

USIP collaborates with scholars from business schools and corporate leaders to examine how business practices-supply chain management, could be re-engineered to promote and support peace.  The purpose of this project is to promote and institutionalize anti-corruption dialogue in the DRC’s business sector by developing a guidebook on anti-corruption measures for the business community as co-created by DRC officials, businesses and communities. Building on an initial workshop in FY10, this project would develop a robust set of anti-corruption guidelines for businesses operating in the DRC in collaboration with the African Institute for Corporate Citizenship (AICC), and Ethic South Africa. Specifically, the project will aim to share practical experiences on business-led collective initiatives to fight corruption;  raise awareness on the relevant legal frameworks and assessment mechanisms that influence the behavior and perceptions of corruption; equip participants with practical strategies and tools for collective action to counter corruption in their business operations; facilitate the establishment of a business-led solution to promote good governance and accountability in the DRC; and develop tools for cultivating good investment climate through private sector platforms.

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DRC Diaspora Dialogue Series

The purpose of this project is to empower the voices of the DRC Diaspora communities on conflict dynamics, perspectives on foreign assistance and practical steps the Diaspora communities can take to promote peace and stability in the DRC. Building peace in the Democratic Republic of the Congo remains an evolving and continuous process. The center has held three forums in Washington, D.C., for members of the DRC Diaspora communities in North America and Europe to dialogue with a broad range of stakeholders and formulate innovative strategies to prevent conflict and promote peace. In collaboration with the African Institute for Corporate Citizenship and members of the Congolese Diaspora a USIP Special report is forthcoming to reflect the discussion and conclusions from the conferences.  The audio for these events are reflected on the DRC webpage.

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Climate Change and Sustainable Development 
 

Around the world increasingly rapid and volatile environmental conditions deteriorate available water supplies, damage infrastructure, and place upward pressure on already scarce resources and the ability to produce them,  effectively shortening food supplies. This trend is a part of a sequence of environmental degradation and mismanaged development that caused environmental climate change. Climate change causes geophysical and socio-economic conflict; it is not just an environmental issue, but a fundamental social and economic issue.  For many developing countries, food and water levels are inadequate and the imposition of severe weather, droughts, and floods only increases this level of inadequacy. This has major implications for peace and conflict, as resource inadequacy alarms desperation and induces tension between groups and regions, and threatens the health and livelihoods of affected people.

Natural disasters that come from increasing volatility in weather conditions overwhelm living conditions and force communities to migrate to safer locations. Like resource scarcity, migration imposes economic stress on the receiving communities. Conflict arises in the areas of employment, limited resources, changes in the price level of food and water, demographic changes, and inter-group tensions. The environment is a global good, yet the poorer nations are kept from their fair share and are now in a position to respond to the high levels of pollution they are not responsible for. This inequity creates a situation for tensions between nations and a need to re-align power among nations.

The center is hosted an event to discuss the opportunities for sustainable and conflict-sensitive development in light of climate change, on November 19, 2010.

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