<html dir="ltr"><head>
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8">
<style id="owaTempEditStyle"></style><style title="owaParaStyle"><!--P {
MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px; MARGIN-TOP: 0px
}
--></style>
</head>
<body ocsi="x">
<div style="FONT-SIZE: x-small; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma; COLOR: #000000; DIRECTION: ltr">
<div></div>
<div dir="ltr"><font color="#000000" size="2" face="Tahoma">Hi all,</font></div>
<div dir="ltr"><font face="tahoma"></font> </div>
<div dir="ltr"><font face="tahoma">I thought you might be interested in this press release for a new global knowledge platform for environmental peacebuilding.</font></div>
<div dir="ltr"><font face="tahoma"></font> </div>
<div dir="ltr"><font face="tahoma">Warm regards,</font></div>
<div dir="ltr"><font face="tahoma">Carl</font></div>
<div dir="ltr"><font face="tahoma"></font> </div>
<div dir="ltr"><font face="tahoma">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" align="center">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi">UNEP, ELI, and partners launch global knowledge platform
<?xml:namespace prefix = "o" ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />
<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" align="center">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi">for environmental peacebuilding<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi"><o:p><font size="3"> </font></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi"><o:p><font size="3"> </font></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><font size="3"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi">WASHINGTON,
DC and GENEVA, 6 November 2013</span></b><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi">
</span><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'MS Gothic'; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi">‒</span><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi">
<b>A new website providing users with free access to dozens of case studies as well as teaching and training materials on the role of natural resources in peacebuilding was launched by the Environmental Law Institute (ELI), the United Nations Environment Programme
(UNEP), the University of Tokyo, and McGill University today.</b></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><font size="3"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi"><b><font face="arial"></font><o:p></o:p></b></span></font> </p>
<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi">Launched on the International Day for Preventing the Exploitation
of the Environment in War and Armed Conflict, the website will serve as a global platform for sharing information, experiences, and learning on the linkages between natural resources, conflict, and peace.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi"></span> </p>
<p style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi">“A key goal of the Environmental Peacebuilding platform is to
provide resources to decision-makers, practitioners and researchers on how to improve peacebuilding through more effective natural resource management,” said
</span><span style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">UNEP Executive Director and UN Under-Secretary-General Achim Steiner.</span><span style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi">
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><font size="3"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"></span></font> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><font size="3"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">The
contents of the site were produced </span><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">as part of a broad collaboration led by ELI, UNEP,
<?xml:namespace prefix = "st1" ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />
<st1:PlaceName w:st="on">McGill</st1:PlaceName> University, and the <st1:place w:st="on">
University</st1:place> of Tokyo, together with 225 researchers and practitioners around the world.</span><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">
Six books including 150 case studies and other analyses examining experiences from 60 conflict-affected countries and territories are being released to the platform, with 76 case studies already available online.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><o:p><font size="3"> </font></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><font size="3">Welcoming
the platform, Jatou Jallow, the Head of the Environment Protection Agency for Sierra Leone, said: “Managing our minerals and other natural resources must be done in ways that generate revenues, equitably distribute wealth, alleviate poverty and mitigate environmental
and social impacts. Having access to the resources and knowledge on this website will greatly help us along that path.”<o:p></o:p></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><o:p><font size="3"> </font></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><font size="3">“This
new knowledge platform will grow as resources and materials are added by users,” explained ELI President John C. Cruden. “We view this as the foundation to support and catalyze the growing and vital community of practice on peacebuilding and natural resources.”<o:p></o:p></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><o:p><font size="3"> </font></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><o:p><font size="3"> </font></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" align="center">
<font size="3"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">*****
</span><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><o:p><font size="3"> </font></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi"><o:p><font size="3"> </font></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi"><o:p><font size="3"> </font></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi"><font size="3">Notes
to Editors:<o:p></o:p></font></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi"><o:p><font size="3"> </font></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"><font size="3">The knowledge platform is available at
</font></span><a href="http://www.environmentalpeacebuilding.org/"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"><font color="#0000ff" size="3">www.environmentalpeacebuilding.org</font></span></a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi"><o:p><font size="3"> </font></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><font size="3">The six books produced through the Global Research Programme can be purchased
</font></span><a href="http://www.routledge.com/books/series/PCPNRM/"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><font color="#0000ff" size="3">online</font></span></a><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><font size="3">;
each chapter is available for </font></span><a href="http://www.environmentalpeacebuilding.org/publications/books/"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><font color="#0000ff" size="3">download</font></span></a><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><font size="3">
free of charge six months after its original publication date. <o:p></o:p></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><o:p><font size="3"> </font></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><font size="3">The knowledge platform is made possible through the generous support of the Government of Finland,
the United States Agency for International Development, the European Union, </font>
</span><a href="http://www.un.org/en/land-natural-resources-conflict/"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: windowtext; TEXT-DECORATION: none; text-underline: none"><font size="3">the EU-UN Partnership on Land and Natural Resources</font></span></a><font size="3"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">,</span><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">
and other partners. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi"><o:p><font size="3"> </font></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-bidi-font-style: italic"><font size="3">The
Environmental Law Institute (www.eli.org) is an independent, non-profit research and educational organization based in Washington, DC. For further information, please contact Brett Kitchen at +1.202.939.3833 or
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">pressrequest@eli.org</b>.<o:p></o:p></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-bidi-font-style: italic"><o:p><font size="3"> </font></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-bidi-font-style: italic"><font size="3">The
United Nations Environment Programme (www.unep.org) is the voice for the environment in the United Nations system. For media enquiries, please contact the UNEP Newsdesk in Nairobi, Kenya, at +254.20.762.5022 or
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">unepnewsdesk@unep.org</b>.<o:p></o:p></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi"><o:p><font size="3"> </font></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p><font face="Calibri"> </font></o:p></span></p>
</font></div>
</div>
</body>
</html>