Engaging the corporate sector in climate-sensitive peacebuilding in Africa

Corporations have moral responsibilities, legal obligations and opportunities to assist in the prevention and resolution of armed conflicts occurring in societies where they operate. However, this area of research is under-theorised. This is certainly the case for regions vulnerable to the harsh impacts of global climate change as well as in many so-called 'resource conflicts', common in Africa, in which corporations' exploitation of natural resources often exacerbate and perpetuate vulnerabilities, animosities and violence. This Chapter examines the linkages between climate change, conflict and corporations in the African context, and the notion of 'climate-sensitive peacebuilding' (or 'climate-sensitive conflict transformation') is introduced. The concept here is defined as an integrated approach to mitigating and adapting to the effects of climate change, and helping prevent and resolve armed conflicts in vulnerable regions. A model for corporate engagement - at each stage and in every aspect of climate-sensitive conflict transformation - is presented. Despite the theoretical potential, the vision of widespread corporate contributions to climate-sensitive peacebuilding remains unrealised, however - due in part to deficient regulation of corporate conduct in conflict-affected areas that fails to encourage or compel such behaviour. The Chapter concludes with a critique of existing international legal and regulatory mechanisms, and suggests some proposals for concerned governments and civil society actors to help unlock the potential for corporate climate-sensitive peacebuilding.