Mr Tom Cavanagh1, Dr Srinjoy Bose1, Dr Paul Munro1
1University of New South Wales, Australia
Biography:
Tom Cavanagh is a PhD student at the University of New South Wales (UNSW). He studies the changing political economy of forest governance in post-conflict countries such as Cambodia, Liberia and Colombia. Previously, Tom worked with international organisations on forest governance and value chain development, specifically focusing on legal timber production and sustainable forest-based livelihoods. Tom is also the co-chair of the Forest Interest Group at the Environmental Peacebuilding Association. He holds a Master of Peace and Conflict Studies from the University of Sydney and a Bachelor of International Studies from UNSW.
Abstract:
Since the 1990s, forests in post-conflict states have been viewed as a source of revenue through timber and resource extraction. Recently, however, there has been a shift from the extractive models of post-conflict development towards a new ‘green’ model, in which growth, development, and state-building are predicated around green objectives. While outwardly, this appears to be a positive development (particularly in the context of climate change and biodiversity loss), it is just as extractive and exploitative as previous approaches. In many ways, the post-conflict green state uses its 'green' credentials to create nature amenable to the demands of green and sustainable investment of global capital, rarely benefiting those living in and around forests.
The post-conflict green state represents a significant paradigm shift, challenging conventional understandings of post-conflict resource governance and presenting new challenges for those seeking to navigate the complex interplay between ‘sustainable’ development, global capital, and local livelihoods. By analysing the contested, uneven, and incomplete processes that characterise the post-conflict green state, the paper aims to justify a rationale for devoting specific attention to the complex interplay of state, nature, and capital in post-conflict states.
Ultimately, the paper argues that understanding the post-conflict green state requires moving beyond simplistic narratives to critically engage with how global capital and environmental discourses reshape statehood and resource governance. By doing so, it seeks to offer a nuanced framework for ensuring that the promises of sustainability are not pursued at the expense of marginalised populations or ecological integrity.