Below are a series of case studies prepared by The Project on Environment, Population and Security of situations where environmental degradation has led to conflict and economic instability. Each case study is linked to a full report on the Project’s web page.

Chiapas, Mexico. The rebellion of Zapatista insurgents in Chiapas, Mexico is a result, in part, of a classical process of ecological marginalization. Indigenous peasants were pushed into ecologically vulnerable highland and tropical forest areas; high population growth and land degradation in these areas in turn exacerbated the poverty that catalysed the insurgency. The Chiapas rebellion has had a monumental effect on Mexican economic stability. It has disrupted international investment and strained NAFTA. It is an example of the potentially large-scae social and economic impacts of population and ecological problems.

Gaza. The achievement of limited autonomy for Palestinians in Gaza and Jericho in 1993 engendered hope for peace in the Middle East, yet violence persists. In Gaza, water scarcity has clearly aggravated socio-economic conditions. These conditions, in turn, have contributed to the grievances behind ongoing violence against Israel and emerging tensions among Palestinians in Gaza.

Pakistan. With one of the highest population growth rates in Asia, widespread land degradation and water scarcity, stalled economic reform, and weak governmental authority in both the cities and countryside, Pakistan's political stability is threatened. A radicalization of the Pakistani regime would have implications for stability throughout South Asia, especially in the context of the unending crisis in Kashmir, the nuclear dimension of Indo-Pakistani relations, and continued turmoil in Afghanistan and Central Asia.

Rwanda. The recent catastrophe in Rwanda is of great concern to policymakers, and many analysts have suggested that demographic and ecological factors powerfully contributed to the violence. A report on Rwanda therefore examines whether rapid population growth and cropland scarcities helped cause the civil conflict. Although the report concludes that the country's demographic and scarcity stresses were extreme, these pressures are best seen as factors aggravating, not directly causing, the country's widespread ethnocide.

South Africa. Although astonishing political changes have taken place recently in South Africa, many people do not realise that the country remains burdened by extreme land degradation in the former homelands. This resource scarcity and rapid population growth are driving large migrations of homeland residents into urban areas. Urban squatter settlements and townships are still experiencing high levels of ethnic violence exacerbated by this migration. South Africa's move to democratic stability is therefore threatened by environmental and demographic pressures.