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2018 IUCNAEL EJournal i (2018)

handle is hein.journals/icnael2018 and id is 1 raw text is: A Word from the Editors Welcome to the 9th issue of the IUCN Academy of Environmental Law Journal. War. Casualties. Destruction. It is undeniable that the world has become more involved in armed conflict and warfare. At the time of writing, only ten countries in the world are not directly or indirectly involved in war.1 Whilst the imagery of warfare is typically associated with large scale nation-to-nation battles, more often than not, modern combat is typified by domestic conflict between factions within a sovereign state.2 There is no doubt that the images of contemporary conflicts such as the Syrian civil war, the Yemeni crisis and the genocide against the Rohingya in Myanmar evokes a powerful reac- tion regardless of one's own view of the efficacy of war. Yet despite this imagery, the envi- ronmental impacts and legacy of armed conflict for survivors remains a silent casualty. The scale and severity of environmental destruction that is associated with warfare remains largely ignored with survivors inheriting a world with no foreseeable prosperity or means to secure a living. Institutions, decision-makers and development partners play a critical role in preventing fur- ther ecological damage and conflict associated with a mismanagement of natural resources. This issue of the IUCNAEL Journal takes a closer look at the environmental cost and legacy of armed conflict and explores practical solutions in how law and policy can be harnessed to promote peace and a sustainable future for communities affected by war. This issue con- tinues the discussion from IUCN's 15th Annual Colloquium titled Stories of the World We Want and the Law as a Pathway which considered further intersecting issues including 1 Adam Withnall, 'Global Peace Index 2016: There are now only 10 countries in the world that are ac- tually free from conflict' (The Independent, 8 June 2016). Available at: ht I vw r - ent cc.u._wswo oltc- oa eacei nd x:016-there-are-rn on11_ contries l°h~ord that-are-not-at-6 2 Institute for Economics and Peace, Global Peace Index 2016 (IEP, 2016) 33.