Towards a conflict-free society: the role of environmental governance in enhancing communal peace and security in Nigeria

Abstract

Peace and security are fundamental to any given society. The importance of this notion has been enumerated in scholarly works, citing its impact on human societal settings in general. However, some societies still face issues with communal conflict and resource allocation, which limit the importance and achievement of peace and security. The study investigates the importance of environmental governance in improving and promoting communal peace and security. The study argues that environmental governance serves as a preventive measure by ensuring specific standards in resource allocation, thereby eliminating ambiguity, resolving conflict, and promoting peace. Additionally, the study argues that while peace and security are necessary, environmental governance cannot be ignored in the quest for sustainable development and a peaceful society. A mixed-methods approach was used to gather relevant information on the study's objectives. Using questionnaires and semi-structured interviews, data were collected from a total of 120 participants, with 100 questionnaires (of which 90 provided usable responses) and 20 semi-structured interviews, all of whom were residents of the selected communities. To comprehensively understand the research objective, this study anchors its research on environmental peacebuilding and institutional analysis and development theories. The findings show that environmental governance has only a moderate impact on communal peace and security in these communities, and that policies are perceived as preventive but inadequate for resolving long-standing disputes. In the end, the study draws up recommendations on how environmental governance can be improved to achieve the Sustainable Development Agenda 2030.