Environmental security: Difference between revisions

'''Environmental security''' examines threats posed by environmental events and trends to individuals, communities or nations. It may focus on the impact of human [[War|conflict]] and [[international relations]] on the [[Natural environment|environment]], or on how environmental problems cross [[Sovereign state|state]] borders.

The [http://www.Millennium-Project.org Millennium Project] assessed definitions of environmental security and created a synthesis definition:

It considers the abilities of individuals, communities or nations to cope with [[Environmental hazard|environmental risks]], [[Climate change|changes]] or conflicts, or limited [[natural resource]]s. For example, climate change can be viewed a threat to environmental security (see the article [[climate security]] for more nuance to the discussion.) Human activity impacts CO₂ emissions, impacting regional and global climatic and environmental changes and thus changes in agricultural output. This can lead to food shortages which will then cause political debate, ethnic tension, and civil unrest.<ref>Chalecki, Elizabeth. Environmental Security: A Case Study of Climate Change. Pacific Institute for Studies of Development, Environment, and Security</ref>

Within international development, projects may aim to improve aspects of environmental security such as [[food security]] or [[water security]], but also connected aspects such as [[energy security]], that are now recognised as [[Sustainable Development Goals]] at UN level.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Farah|first1=Paolo Davide|title=Sustainable Energy Investments and National Security: Arbitration and Negotiation Issues|journal=Journal of World Energy Law and Business|date=2015|volume=8|issue=6|ssrn=2695579}}</ref> Targets for [[MDG]] 7 about [[environmental sustainability]] show international priorities for environmental security. Target 7B is about the security of [[fisheries]] on which many people depend for [[food]]. Fisheries are an example of a resource that cannot be contained within state borders. A conflict before the [[International Court of Justice]] between Chile and Peru about maritime borders and their associated fisheries<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.haguejusticeportal.net/eCache/DEF/9/091.html |title=Maritime Dispute (Peru v. Chile) |publisher=The Hague Justice Portal |access-date=2013-11-23}}</ref> is a case study for environmental security.

As tensions between the superpowers eased after the collapse of the Soviet Union, academic discussions of definitions of security significantly expanded to encompass a far broader range of threats to peace, including, particularly, including environmental threats associated with the political implications of resource use or pollution.<ref>{{Cite journal |doi = 10.3917/ri.125.0097|title = La sécurité entre permanence et changement|journal = Relations Internationales|volume = 125|issue = 1|pages = 97–109|year = 2006|last = Arcudi|first = Giovanni| doi-access = free}}</ref> By the mid-1980s, this field of study was becoming known as "environmental security". Despite a wide range of semantic and academic debates over terms, it is now widely acknowledged that environmental factors play both direct and indirect roles in both political disputes and violent conflicts.

In the academic sphere environmental security is defined as the relationship between security concerns such as armed conflict and the natural environment. A small but rapidly developing field, it has become particularly relevant for those studying resource scarcity and conflict in the developing world. Prominent early researchers in the field include [[Felix Dodds]], [[Norman Myers]], [[Jessica Tuchman Mathews]], Michael Renner, Richard Ullman, [[Arthur H. Westing|Arthur Westing]], [[Michael Klare]], [[Thomas Homer Dixon]], [[Geoffrey Dabelko]], [[Peter Gleick]], Rita Floyd and [[Joseph Romm]].

Even though [[environmental degradation]] and [[climate change]] sometimes cause violent conflict within and between countries and other times not,<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Pugh|first=Jeffrey|date=December 2008|title=Challenges and opportunities of human conflict and environmental transformation in Ecuadorian highlands|url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/44201034|journal=Pirineos|volume=163|pages=63–75|doi=10.3989/pirineos.2008.v163.22|doi-access=free}}</ref> it can weaken the national security of the state in number of profound ways. [[Environmental change]] can undermine the economic prosperity which plays big role in country’scountry's military capacity and material power. In some [[developed countries]], and in most [[developing countries]], [[natural resources]] and [[environmental services]] tend to be important factors for [[economic growth]] and [[employment rate]]. Income from and employment in primary sectors such as [[agriculture]], [[forestry]], [[fishing]], and [[mining]], and from environmentally dependent services like [[tourism]], may all be adversely affected by [[environmental change]]. If [[natural capital]] base of an economy erodes, then so does the long-term capacity of its armed forces.<ref name="Alan"/><ref name=UN>{{cite web | url=https://www.un.org/en/events/environmentconflictday/pdf/GN_Renewable_Consultation.pdf | title= Renewable Resources and Conflict| access-date=29 September 2016 }}</ref> Moreover, changes in environmental condition can exposes people to health threats, it can also undermine [[human capital]] and its well-being which are essential factors of [[economic development]] and stability of [[human society]].

*Ullman, R.H. 1983. "Redefining Security," International Security 8, No. 1 (Summer 1983): 129-153129–153.

*Mathews, J.T. 1989. "Redefining Security," Foreign Affairs 68, No. 2 (Spring 1989): 162-177162–177.

*{{cite book|last=Romm|first=Joseph|author-link=Joseph J. Romm|year=1992|title=The Once and Future Superpower: How to Restore America's Economic, Energy, and Environmental Security|url=https://archive.org/details/oncefuturesuperp00romm|url-access=registration|location=New York|publisher=William Morrow & Co|isbn=9780688118686}} {{ISBN|0-688-11868-2}}

* [http://www.millennium-project.org/millennium/env-scanning.html Monthly International Environmental Security reports by the Millennium Project] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160409210951/http://millennium-project.org/millennium/env-scanning.html |date=2016-04-09 }}

* [http://www.wilsoncenter.org/ecsp Environmental Change & Security Program] at the [http://www.wilsoncenter.org Woodrow Wilson Center], directed by [http://www.wilsoncenter.org/index.cfm?topic_id=1413&fuseaction=topics.profile&person_id=5792 Geoffrey Dabelko] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110605114251/http://www.wilsoncenter.org/index.cfm?topic_id=1413&fuseaction=topics.profile&person_id=5792 |date=2011-06-05 }}

* [http://www.upeace.org/academic/masters/ESP.cfm Environmental Security and Peace Program] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080509090507/http://www.upeace.org/academic/masters/ESP.cfm |date=2008-05-09 }} at the [http://www.upeace.org United Nations mandated University for Peace]

* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070712232447/http://www.pacinst.org/topics/environment_and_security/ Environment and Security Program of the [[Pacific Institute]], directed by [[Peter Gleick]]]

* [http://www.envsec.org/ Environment and Security Initiative] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110425025009/http://www.envsec.org/ |date=2011-04-25 }} active in South Eastern and Eastern Europe, [[Southern Caucasus]] and [[Central Asia]]

* [http://www.library.utoronto.ca/pcs/database/libintro.htm Environmental Security Database] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120716191617/http://www.library.utoronto.ca/pcs/database/libintro.htm |date=2012-07-16 }}

* [http://www.millennium-project.org/millennium/env-sec1.html The Millennium Project' Monthly reports on Emerging International Issues of Environmental Security] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160407160649/http://www.millennium-project.org/millennium/env-sec1.html |date=2016-04-07 }}

* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070712232447/http://www.pacinst.org/topics/environment_and_security/ [[Pacific Institute]]]