553
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
P. Saundry, B. L. Ruddell (eds.), The Food-Energy-Water Nexus, AESS
Interdisciplinary Environmental Studies and Sciences Series,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-29914-9_20
Chapter 20
Managing Human Conflicts
Lara B. Fowler and Robert T. Caccese
20.1 Introduction
Finding constructive ways to address and manage conflicts that arise in the FEW
system is critical. Impacts to food, energy, and water can cause conflict, particularly where human populations outstrip local supplies or distribution systems
needed to bring in supplies. Shortages aren’t the only source of impact: a flood can
also have cascading impacts through the food, energy, and water systems (see, e.g.,
Kiger 2013).
Conflicts can arise in a number of ways. As noted in the introduction, human
dimensions of FEW systems are affected by perceptions, cultural and economic
motivations, laws and policies operating at different scales, and disputes between
various parties with different values, power, and aspirations. Separate or different
policies for food, energy, and water can lead to conflicts between communities with
a primary interest in one of the food, energy or water components. While international policies usually involve diplomacy and trade arrangements, nations can and
have resorted to a military conflict to address food, energy, and water crises or have
targeted such systems for attack.
Along with these human dynamics, climate change and extreme events are
threat multipliers: underlying social instabilities are exacerbated by floods,
L. B. Fowler
Penn State Law, Penn State Institutes of Energy and the Environment,
The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
e-mail: lbf10@psu.edu
R. T. Caccese (*)
Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, Harrisburg, PA, USA
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
P. Saundry, B. L. Ruddell (eds.), The Food-Energy-Water Nexus, AESS
Interdisciplinary Environmental Studies and Sciences Series,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-29914-9_20
Chapter 20
Managing Human Conflicts
Lara B. Fowler and Robert T. Caccese
20.1 Introduction
Finding constructive ways to address and manage conflicts that arise in the FEW
system is critical. Impacts to food, energy, and water can cause conflict, particularly where human populations outstrip local supplies or distribution systems
needed to bring in supplies. Shortages aren’t the only source of impact: a flood can
also have cascading impacts through the food, energy, and water systems (see, e.g.,
Kiger 2013).
Conflicts can arise in a number of ways. As noted in the introduction, human
dimensions of FEW systems are affected by perceptions, cultural and economic
motivations, laws and policies operating at different scales, and disputes between
various parties with different values, power, and aspirations. Separate or different
policies for food, energy, and water can lead to conflicts between communities with
a primary interest in one of the food, energy or water components. While international policies usually involve diplomacy and trade arrangements, nations can and
have resorted to a military conflict to address food, energy, and water crises or have
targeted such systems for attack.
Along with these human dynamics, climate change and extreme events are
threat multipliers: underlying social instabilities are exacerbated by floods,
L. B. Fowler
Penn State Law, Penn State Institutes of Energy and the Environment,
The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
e-mail: lbf10@psu.edu
R. T. Caccese (*)
Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, Harrisburg, PA, USA