Empowering local people to develop cultures appropriate to where they live, and co-management schemes between local and national actors, could both improve environments and reduce conflict. The global geography of mismatched cultural and political boundaries foments enormous conflicts over environments and resources. The chief tragedy of Africa is the outcome of the 1884 Berlin Conference which either placed international boundaries across cultural boundaries or combined many cultures into one state. Most African governments are now dominated by one ethnic group or another, leading to resentment and conflict over the distribution of resources, including territory. It is thus vital to include culture in this analysis of environmental conflict.
Cultures produce local knowledge.
The earth is not a uniform ball of wax and treating it as such imperils life and creates conflict. Local knowledge of soil, climate, and resources critical to maintaining a distinct cultural landscape is transmitted in various ways between generations. Colonialism and neo-colonialism have contributed heavily to environmental degradation. Reconstructing damaged environments requires cultural reconstruction and therefore intercultural cooperation. Any fully integrated environmental management system must take cultural impacts into account.