Environment and Security

Abstract

The term environment is often used as a short form for the biophysical environment, which refers to the biotic and abiotic surrounding of an organism or population, and consequently includes the factors that have an influence in their survival, development, and evolution. All life that has survived must have adapted to conditions of its environment. On one hand, part of the study of environmental science is the investigation of the effect of human activity on the environment. On the other hand, scholars also examine threats posed by environmental events and trends to individuals, communities, or nations, otherwise known as environmental security. It studies the impact of human conflict and international relations on the environment, or on how environmental problems cross state borders. Environmental security is a significant concept in two fields: international relations and international development. Within international development, projects may aim to improve aspects of environmental security such as food security or water security, along with connected aspects such as energy security. The importance of environmental security lies in the fact that it affects humankind and its institutions anywhere and at anytime. To the extent that humankind neglects to maintain the planet’s life-supporting eco-systems generating water, food, medicine, and clean air, current and future generations will be confronted with increasingly severe instances of environmentally induced changes.

Environmental Security is Homeland Security: Climate Disruption as the Ultimate Disaster Risk Multiplier

“…Rising sea levels will threaten civilian and naval coastal infrastructure and real estate, and melting Arctic ice will open the northern polar region to navigation, resource exploitation, and exacerbate rising international political, economic, and naval/military tensions (Chalecki, ). Along coasts such as the U.S. eastern seaboard and Gulf of Mexico costs will likely reach a minimum $2 billion – $3.5 billion annually in less than 20 years, but as hurricane rates and severity change – particularly a rise in catastrophic category 4 and 5 hurricanes, from the availability of warmer water in tropical regions (Elsner, Kossin, & Jagger, ), total U.S. coastal damage alone could average as much as $35 billion a year or more (Bloomberg, Paulson, & Steyer, ).…”

“…Because the region is heating up at twice the rate of global average, the Arctic Ocean is on the road to becoming ice‐free and navigable year‐round, which will generate unprecedented accessibility. Related to this prospect, there are increasing claims being made on undersea energy (especially methane, but also oil), mineral access, fisheries, and shipping rights (Chalecki ; Klare ; Huebert, Exner‐Pirot, Lajeunesse, & Gulledge, ; Zellen, ).…”

Javnomnenjska Zaznava Okoljske Varnosti V Sloveniji

“…SIPRI (1992: 27) pa okoljsko varnost opredeli kot stanje, v katerem so vlade same ali s pomočjo mednarodne skupnosti sposobne obvladovati družbene in politične učinke usihanja naravnih virov. Chalecki (2001: 2) meni, da je okoljska varnost sposobnost države in družbe, da se spoprime z okoljskimi tveganji in škodljivimi posledicami ter nasprotji ali konflikti, ki so povezani s stanjem v okolju. White (2014: 836) pa obrne zorni kot gledanja in opredeli okoljsko nevarnost, in sicer kot »akcije in razmere, ki spodkopavajo sposobnost uporabe narave v meri, ki bi omogočala zadovoljiti človekove potrebe«.…”