Organizer: Stimson Center
Description:
Join us for a discussion with Legacies of War, PeaceTrees, and Ohio State University about the links between war legacies and the environment. The Vietnam War era conflicts first and foremost impacted people, but it also had significant and lasting impacts upon the environment ranging from the destruction of vegetation by dioxin to a continued lack of access to critical resources by unexploded ordnance. Extreme weather events and other impacts of climate change compound the risks for vulnerable communities already managing the ongoing challenges posed by the legacies of war.
Speakers:
Sera Koulabdara serves as Executive Director of Legacies of War, the only international U.S.-based advocacy and educational organization working to address the impacts of the American Secret War in Laos and conflict in its neighboring countries of Cambodia and Vietnam during the Vietnam War-era, including the removal of unexploded ordnance (UXO) and victims/survivor assistance. Read her full bio here.
Erin Lin is an Assistant Professor of Political Science and Global Food Politics at the Ohio State University and a member of the MAG America Board. Her research interests lie in the areas of post-conflict reconstruction, political geography, food security, and legacies of war, with a regional focus on Southeast Asia. Read her full bio here.
Doug Weir has undertaken research and advocacy on the polluting legacy of armed conflicts and military activities since 2005. After working on conflict pollution and the toxic remnants of war for many years, he established the Conflict and Environment Observatory (CEOBS) to monitor and raise awareness of the environmental and derived humanitarian consequences of conflicts. He has contributed to a wide range of domestic, regional and international initiatives on conflict and the environment, with a current focus on the progressive development of the legal framework protecting the environment in relation to armed conflicts. He holds degrees in Geology and Print Journalism from Manchester and Sheffield universities, and is a Visiting Research Fellow at King’s College London’s Department of Geography. CEOBS also works on the military contribution to the climate crisis through its Military Emissions Gap project: www.militaryemissions.org, an online platform dedicated to improving the transparency and accessibility of military emissions data reported to the UNFCCC.
Claire Yunker has over a decade of experience working in nonprofit administration and leadership, and has been involved with PeaceTrees Vietnam’s work in Humanitarian Mine Action for the last seven years. In her current role, Claire leads program development, strategy, operations, and advancement out of the Seattle office, and travels to Vietnam frequently. See her full bio here.
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