From Conflict to Positive Peace: How Strategic Environmental Sustainability Supports Post-Conflict Peacebuilding in Sierra Leone

Abstract

This thesis examines the Framework for Strategic Environmental Sustainability (FSES) as acentral pillar of Sierra Leone’s post-conflict peacebuilding trajectory, analysing its role withinthe broader peace continuum, from negative peace and early recovery to positive peace andlong-term resilience. Positioned within a nation emerging from civil conflict, the FSES servesas a key mechanism connecting environmental sustainability to peace consolidation,governance reform, and economic revitalisation. This study explores nine thematic areas of theFSES and studies them in their influence and contribution in Sierra Leone’s (SL) ability tomove from conflict to positive peace: Sustainable Agricultural Practices for Peacebuilding;Renewable Energy for Economic Stability; Community-Led Natural Resource Management;Reforestation and Environmental Restoration; Strengthening Environmental Governance andPolicy Reform; Education and Capacity Building for Environmental Stewardship;Technological Innovations for Resource Management; Inclusive Policies for MarginalisedGroups; and the Integration of Environmental Sustainability into Local Practices. Usingdistrict-level comparative analysis, the research investigates how various districts cooperatewith and operationalise the FSES, identifies cross-district synergies and differences, andevaluates their collective contribution to sustainable peace.Findings reveal that embedding environmental sustainability within peacebuilding mechanismsenhances livelihood security, mitigates structural drivers of conflict, and strengthensinstitutional and community resilience, thereby advancing the Sierra Leone society along thepeace continuum toward durable and positive peace. The thesis demonstrates that integratingenvironmental sustainability into peacebuilding and economic recovery is not only beneficialbut essential for sustaining long-term stability in post-conflict Sierra Leone.

Date of Award	24 Jun 2026
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	University of Bath
Supervisor	Timo Kivimaki (Supervisor) & Sophia Hatzisavvidou (Supervisor)