ABSTRACT
This chapter introduces the "resource nexus" perspective, focusing on its relationship to governance. It illustrates both the challenges and opportunities of connecting resource nexus, environmental conflict and peacebuilding, and existing governance initiatives. The chapter seeks to grapple with the connections across scales, from a focus on the northwest region of Kenya, to attention on one long-standing and one more recent global governance initiative with substantial regard to parts of Africa. Global governance initiatives, while not always explicitly designed to address violent conflict and peacebuilding processes, do have built-in mechanisms that could be utilized to confront conflict and promote peacebuilding. Northern Rangelands Trust is a non-governmental organization based in northwestern Kenya whose mission is "to develop resilient community conservancies that transform lives, secure peace and conserve natural resources". Grazing land and illicit species trade illustrate that violence can be connected to resources other than water, food, energy, land and minerals.
