Dr Richard Milburn MBE is a Teacher at the School of Security Studies. He organises the Marjan Research Group’s research concerning armed conflict and the environment, utilising what is termed a ‘war-first’ approach which seeks to use the wider understanding of armed conflict and insecurity to identify the role that a loss of wildlife and biodiversity can have in contributing to insecurity and making the case for the importance and utility of environmental protection to those in the development and armed conflict space. In particular, his research focuses on the underlying drivers of, and how to bring an end to, the global illegal wildlife and timber trades, and on the role of militaries in greening defence and environmental security.

Richard completed his PhD within the Department of War Studies, researching the links between wildlife conservation, security, peacebuilding and development, conducting fieldwork in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

He acts as the UK representative of the Pole Pole Foundation, a multi-award winning Congolese conservation charity and Earthshot Prize Finalist based in Bukavu. Richard is also co-founder of Tunza Games, a game design and education company which uses gamification to enhance learning, better engage people with environmental issues, and raise funds to support conservation projects around the world.

Research Interests

• Environmental Security
• Climate Change
• Illegal Wildlife Trade
• Greening Defence
• Conservation, security and development
• Biodiversity loss and armed conflict
• Postwar recovery
• Sustainable development

Publications

• Milburn, R. (2012) ‘Mainstreaming the environment into postwar recovery: the case for ‘ecological development’’, International Affairs, 88:5, p. 1083-1100
• Milburn, R. (2014) ‘The roots to peace in the Democratic Republic of Congo: conservation as a platform for green development’, International Affairs, 90:4, pg 871-887
• Milburn, R. (2015) ‘Gorillas and Guerrillas: environment and conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo’, in Brisman, A, South, N. and White, R. (eds) Environmental Crime and Social Conflict: Contemporary and Emerging Issues’, Ashgate, Publishing Ltd, Farnham, UK, p. 57-74
• Chevallier, R. and Milburn, R. (2015) ‘Increasing the Economic Value and Contribution of Protected Areas in Africa’, Policy Briefing 125, Governance of Africa’s Resources Programme, South African Institute of International Affairs, Johannesburg, South Africa.
• Vinall, S. and Milburn, R. (2021) ‘Countering the Illegal Wildlife Trade’, British Army Review 181, Autumn 2021, p. 94-103.
• Richard Milburn (2023) Carbon Warriors: Enhancing NATO’s Response to Climate Change, The RUSI Journal, DOI: 10.1080/03071847.2023.2235152

Forthcoming:

• Milburn, R. (2023), ‘Operational Risks and Opportunities from Climate Change on Western Militaries’ Conservation Activities’ in, Ziya Meral, Timothy Clack and Louise Selisny (eds) ‘Hot War: Climate Change & (In)Security’, Routledge Advances in Defence Studies (RAiDS)