Peace and sustainability - Two sides of the same coin

The world is severely off track to meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with the rise in armed conflicts a major cause. Peace (SDG 16) is not only a goal in itself—it is the foundation for all the others. At the same time, efforts to promote sustainability influence the prospects for peace in very different ways. They may help build stability, but if poorly designed, they can also trigger new tensions. This blog post reflects on the need to evaluate and learn from synergies and tradeoffs between sustainable development interventions and peacebuilding.