Global Review of the Environmental and Ecological Nexus in Women, Peace and Security (GREEN-WPS)
About the Project
This research project examines how environmental and climate-related issues are integrated into National Action Plans (NAPs) on Women, Peace and Security (WPS). While the WPS agenda has increasingly recognized the links between climate change, environmental degradation, and conflict, there remains limited systematic evidence on how these connections are reflected in national policy frameworks.
To address this gap, the project develops a novel global dataset capturing the extent and nature of environmental integration across WPS NAPs. Through a combination of quantitative coding and qualitative analysis, the research traces how environmental issues are framed, prioritized, and operationalized within these policy documents over time.
The project moves beyond simply identifying whether climate or environmental language is present. It instead examines how integration occurs, distinguishing between symbolic references, human security approaches, and more institutionalized forms of policy mainstreaming. This allows for a more nuanced understanding of variation across countries and over time, and opens space to assess the implications of different approaches for implementation and impact.
Building on this dataset, the research explores several key questions: what drives the inclusion of environmental issues in WPS policy; how policy ideas and language diffuse across the global WPS community; and whether stronger policy commitments translate into meaningful implementation outcomes. The project also considers broader questions about framing, including the tension between securitized approaches to climate change and more people-centred, gender-responsive understandings of environmental peacebuilding.
Updates and outputs will be added to this page as they become available. If you would like to know more about this project, please contact Alonna Despain <adesp@unc.edu>.
About the Research Team
The project is co-led by Katrina Leclerc (University of Winnipeg / Saint Paul University) and Alonna Despain (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill), and is supported by a team of student researchers whose contributions are central to the development and analysis of the dataset.
Katrina Leclerc is a PhD candidate and part-time professor in Conflict Studies at Saint-Paul University, and sessional lecturer at the University of Winnipeg, where her research focuses on gender- and age-sensitive peacebuilding, youth engagement, and inclusive policy in conflict-affected contexts. She has advised governments and UN agencies on the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) and Youth, Peace and Security (YPS) agendas, and is widely recognized for bridging academic and practitioner spaces.
Katrina Leclerc
Co-investigator
Alonna Despain is a Ph.D. student in the Department of Public Policy. Her research interests focus on policy applications of the UN Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) agenda, gender and climate security, and environmental peacebuilding. Prior to her doctoral studies, Alonna served as a Program Officer for the Middle East and North Africa for the Global Network of Women Peacebuilders where she worked on WPS policy applications in Lebanon and Yemen. She has also held positions with the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the United States Department of State in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, the Consulate General of Canada New York, and civil society organizations.
Alonna Despain
Co-investigator
Georgette Arielle Djoufan Fotsing is a researcher specializing in peace and security, democracy, and gender studies, holding a PhD in International Relations in Cameroon and pursuing a Master’s in Conflict Studies at Saint Paul University. She has worked as a research assistant at the International Crisis Group and has lectured at various institutes, with a particular focus on the Women, Peace and Security agenda.
She brings expertise in conflict prevention and field research, working across civil society, governments, and international institutions. A prolific author and active conference participant, she is committed to advancing the rights of women and girls through her engagement with associations and think tanks.
Georgette Arielle Djoufan Fotsing
Graduate Researcher
Winn Godier is an undergraduate at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, double majoring in Political Science and Public Policy. Originally from Wilmington, North Carolina, her work is shaped by hands-on experience in nonprofits, community development, and local policy. A former Division I volleyball player, she brings a foundation of discipline, teamwork, and leadership to her research and writing. When she's not studying, you can find her working out, collecting shark teeth at the beach, or making art.
Winn Godier
Undergraduate Researcher
Zane Reed is a first-year student and Morehead-Cain scholar from Seattle, WA, majoring in Political Science and Geography. Prior to starting at Carolina, he took a gap year working as a field organizer for the Harris-Walz campaign and traveling across South America. He is involved in campus activism through TransparUNCy, an organization investigating the university administration. Zane also has experience working in journalism, historical research and translation, and LGBTQ+ advocacy. He holds a black belt in Shito-ryu karate and enjoys hiking and surfing.
Zane Reed
Undergraduate Researcher
Sunhee Frecker is a junior from Wake Forest, North Carolina studying Peace, War, and Defense (PWAD) and Economics with a minor in Journalism. She is interested in a career in foreign policy and is extremely excited to be a part of this project! On campus, she serves as the President of the Carolina Economics Club and the Vice President of the Carolina International Relations Association. When she's not cramming for an exam, Sunhee loves Carolina basketball and reading a great book!
Sunhee Frecker
Undergraduate Researcher
Edyn LeDrew (she/her) is an undergraduate student at the University of Winnipeg Global College, pursuing a degree in Human Rights with a minor in Urban and Inner-City Studies. Over the past year, she has worked with Prof. Katrina Leclerc as a teaching and marking assistant, strengthening her understanding of the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda. Her interest in WPS is grounded in her community-based work with women-led organizations in Winnipeg, where she has built relationships with women affected by colonization and systemic inequities and contributed to local gender equality initiatives. Edyn plans to attend law school at the University of Manitoba, with the goal of pursuing a legal career serving inner-city communities in Winnipeg.
Edyn LeDrew
Undergraduate Researcher
