Resource governance, resource scarcity and conflict in Nepal: A discussion paper

In this paper the author attemptsto highlight the severity of conflict caused by resources scarcity, unequal control of available resources and weak environmental governance. The notion of environmental governance is discussed to address environmental problems such as scarcity of natural resources/environmental services. Environmental governance, in this paper, refers to a principle, process, practices of mainstreaming and ensuring environmental/ecological issues and concerns in policies and plans, laws and regulations, strategies and decisions and actual actions at different levels (national levels) within a good governance framework (i.e., consensus oriented, participatory, guided by rule of law, effective and efficient, accountable and transparent, responsive, equitable and inclusive). Likewise, conflict, in this paper, refers to observable differences in opinion, misunderstandings, clashes of interest, disagreements, complaints in public, protests by argument and physical assault, antipathy, filing cases with the local administration, police and courts. When the latitude of tolerance crosses the bottom line then conflict occurs. Feelings of unfairness, suspicion, injustice, mistrust, etc. ultimately lead to conflict. Resource conflicts produce both positive and negative consequences and alter existing social relations. They induce change in resource management and utilisation, policy process, livelihood strategies, land and agriculture, gender relations, power structure, and individual and collective behaviour. In most cases the combined effect of some or many of such factors can escalate or resolve a conflict.