The Rise of Environmental Security: A Study

This essay discusses the rise of environmental security and its importance in the context of global development. It explores the causes and effects of environmental issues and highlights strategies for sustainable development.

Running head: THE RISE OF ENVIRONMENTAL SECURITY: A STUDY
THE RISE OF ENVIRONMENTAL SECURITY: A STUDY
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The need for environmental security increases as globalisation, in the present world,
reaches its peak which results in an increase in urbanisation and industrialisation leading to
scarcity of resources, such as energy resources, food and water. With global advancement,
there has been a modification of security threats as well. Apart from increase in natural
disasters due to imbalance in the ecosystem, major man-made disasters are also in the league,
for instance, production of latest biological weapons and toxins with the help of chemically-
synthesized biology. Over-industrialisation causes accumulation of nuclear wastes,
multiplication of hazardous untested chemical wastes from the factories that enters into the
food chain and disrupts it. It has been noticed that intrastate and interstate conflicts have been
increased with increase in environmental issues such as lack of natural and renewable as well
as non- renewable resources. A plethora of social conflicts throughout the world can be
associated with environmental hazards which have become difficult to be acknowledged and
handled by traditional military forces. There is an impending need for environmental security
in national, transnational and international standards and agendas for a sustainable survival in
the ever emerging global world. Environmental security can be termed ascertain policies
taken up to meet environmental causes for environmental recovery ensuring building of peace
and security within the international borders (Goldstone 2018 pg 84). With the publication of
IPCC’s Fourth assessment report 2007 which talked about causes and effects of climatic
change in the global context, the significance and importance of environmental security were
highlighted and thought about worldwide, by almost all the continents and countries
(Woodward et al. 2014 pg 1185). Environmental security strategies have been built by almost
all the countries according to their special needs, preferences and issues they face.
Environmental security has been considered to be one of the most important factors on
which international peace, well-being and amicable international relations are based
upon. It is speculated that the world might face acute crisis of resources and

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biodiversity which can be one of the main reasons for global disputes and rupture of
civilization. Environmental security makes sure that the natural resources, which are
assets of the humans, are kept integrated and conserved so that such global casualties
can be avoided or dealt with. Repairing, protecting and propagating the environment
are the main policies of environmental security. The respective essay focuses on the causes
and reasons behind the rise of environmental security concept worldwide in details, its acts
and its significance in the context of global as well as local platforms. It mentions issues of
environmental security, certain strategies, plans and policies taken up to maintain sustainable
development across the globe.
Certain significant factors are important in learning why and how the concept of
environmental security came into the international standards of diplomacy for providing the
world with global justice. One of the most basic and customary reasons is the concept of
“Climate Change”. There have been a considerable number of researches conducted by the
scientists, environmentalists and researchers of the best universities and institutions across the
globe on “Climate change” and the results declared that climate change was a reality and a
truth and it has affected the environment and ecosystem obnoxiously (McDonald 2013 pg
43). Former Vice president of the United States of America, Al Gore and British Chief
Scientific Advisor Sir David King have mentioned and discussed and rhetorically analysed
about climate change, its causes and effects in the environment, ecosystem and human
civilisation (O'Neill and Smith 2014 pg 73). The resultant of global warming, which is
emission of greenhouse gases that affect the climate negatively possess certain ill-effects on
the environment; 1.Severe droughts or flood due to heavy storm surges that gives rise to
famines, destroys life and property and disrupts infrastructure; 2. A considerable rise of the
sea level leading to contamination of freshwater by the salted sea water is making it unfit for
consumption; 3. Temperature increase that leads to severe health issues such as sunstroke,

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malaria and dengue (Downing 2013). The two major countries responsible for global
warming is assumed to be China and the United States. Several environmental security
policies have been formulated by the two countries to curb global warming and diminish
climatic change as much as possible. However, it is observed that, while China has taken
solemn resolutions to curb the growing global warming issues she is facing by taking
initiatives for diminishing emission of greenhouse gases and has become the leading country
in solar energy production, America is observed to be reluctant in brining any changes in
their environmental policies (Dalby 2014 pg 1). Certain environmental security policies
regarding the matter have already been taken into action, for instance, World Meteorological
Organisation and United Nation’s Environmental Programme inaugurated and established
“Intergovernmental Panel on Climatic Change” (IPCC) which works on the risk factors of
climatic change that might adversely affect human activities (Woodward et al. 2014 pg
1185).
The concept of human’s dependence on the ecosystem, resources and services
provided by the earth and the growing intolerance towards such services which, in turn, is
leading towards international conflict is one of the major concerns for the rise of
environmental security (O'Brien and Barnett 2013 pg 373). Since post- industrial revolution,
there has been a reasonable increase of entrepreneurship workplace culture globally that has
been significant in degradation of the environment. Such worldwide movement have posed a
threat to the “safe operating space for humanity” and made humans vulnerable to the
adversities of pollution and natural degradation. Therefore, there has been a demand for
environmental security reforms related to “sustainable development of an individual and a
nation” a social equity without harming the environment and ecosystem. The concept of
sustainability was first introduced by the Planetary Boundaries framework as one of the
components of environmental security policies (Lafferty and Eckerberg 2013).

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Environmental security frameworks are significant and important in such field as it not only
focuses on understanding the direct and indirect link between environment, ecosystem and
well-being of humans, but also recognize plans and strategies to diminish the jeopardy related
to such environmental issues and manufacture capacities for sustainability. Environmental
security policies has also emerged globally for introspecting, analysing and interpreting
socio-economic and ecological boundaries of a particular nation in terms of environmental
issues. Environmental security policies are at utmost need for enhancing environmental
security of humans which consists of ensuring the adequacy of sustainable resources and
enabling goods and services of ecosystems for sustenance of human beings. Institutions such
as NATO Science for Peace and Security Programme and United Nation’s Environment
Programme is constantly working to improve the quality of human life by improving the
ecosystem and the environment that is assumed to be ensuring sustainable development
(Efroymson et al. 2013 pg 291).
A reasonable magnitude of damage has been and is also being caused by international
military warfare between two or more than two countries. According to the introspective
studies conducted by 2014 Global Peace Index, the globe has subsequently turned less
peaceful and amicable since 2008. Studies show that the unprecedented growth of nuclear as
well as biological weapons for warfare between the nations have brutally affected the
environment, subsequently, affecting the health and hygiene and well-being of human beings
(Theisen, Gleditsch and Buhaug 2013 pg 693).The studies conducted by United Nation’s
Environment Programme deciphers that over the past 60 years, major reasons for conflict
between nations had been related to natural resource. The study also shows that the nations
containing biodiversity concentrations have been targeted the most for armed warfare and
conflict from the middle of the twentieth century till the present day. Among such conflicts,

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80% of the warfare had occurred near the areas of biodiversity hotspots, thereby, destroying
the ecosystem of the biodiversity and also the livelihood of the locals. An example of conflict
between Yemen and Afghanistan about water scarcity had unfortunately led to organised and
systematic crime such as terrorism and cultivation of crops having drug sources. In the
mentioned case of hydro politics, if adequate steps would have been taken to address the
problems of water scarcity and agricultural patterns, such military casualties could have been
avoided. The year 2012 saw a significant change in the laws related to modern
environmentalism. In 2012, INTERPOL revisited and restructured the Environmental Crime
Committee to Environmental Compliance and Enforcement Committee which was consisted
of three groups that worked on : wildlife crime, pollution related crime and fisheries crime
(Wright 2017 pg 65).Apart from the mentioned measures, nuclear measures have been taken
into account. The Pelindaba Treaty of African nuclear free zone has ensured that nuclear
weapons, arms and ammunitions get banned throughout the southern hemisphere of the world
(Foy2015). There has been an utmost requirement for environment security policies to
terminate conflicts between nations related to natural resources that claimed the ecosystems
and well-being of the environment.
As far as degradation and destruction of ecosystem, competition of renewable and
non-renewable resources and dissimilar distribution of benefits is concerned, there has been
socio-political and geopolitical conflicts regarding sustainability. The degradation of
environment has been a cause as well as a reason behind insecurity of human beings leading
them vulnerable to an unsafe and unstable environment (Dalby 2014 pg 5). Environmental
scarcity which is leading to scarcity of natural resources and raw materials have been a cause
of “intra-national” as well as international conflicts (Koubi et al. 2014 pg 227). Some
scholars and environmentalists believe that the biggest driving force of conflicts related to
environment can be traced not only by scarcity of resources, but by local abundance of non-

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renewable resources which are essential for the survival of human civilization, for instance,
coal, petroleum and natural gas. Such conflicts may lead to violence, poverty and insecurity
of the mankind. There have been evidences of “cultural and ethnic clashes or conflicts” due
to demographic modification and movement (that includes immigration and emigration)
based on environmental causes and reasons all over the world. There are cases where it was
observed that migrations of demography from one nation to the other or from one region to
the other on the basis of environmental crisis or threats tend to often ignore “borders”,
proving hazardous to the integrity and security among nations leading to tensions and
conflicts between them. There have been civil disturbances and disruptions in many nations
which have its root causes in environmental scarcity and insufficiency which has obnoxiously
affected the economic as well as socio-economic growth and development and decreased the
magnitude of productivity of the respective nations, thereby disrupting the infrastructure of
the nation. There have been speculations that there is a possibility of future warfare and
global tension that might as well be caused by global warming and ozone depletion that
might affect the agricultural as well as the healthcare sectors of nations worldwide, creating a
chaotic situation throughout the globe, disrupting global peace and harmony. Throughout the
holistic research on environmental crisis and its presumptive impact on the world and society,
it is deduced that a majority of security-policy makers and professionals have strongly agreed
to the point that environmental crisis, threats and stress can be one of the most primary and
customary reason instability of state and nations and such symptoms should be highly
prioritized and addressed to avoid any kind of global casualties. Therefore, environmental
security has become a necessity for the global diplomats to ensure safety and security of the
world. Under the placard of the concept of environmental security, there has been reasonable
movements, plans, strategies and policies taken up by developing as well as developed nation
of the world with a constant updating of the policies according to the unique and distinct need

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of the present global circumstances (Nam 2015). For instance, the Department of Defence
under environmental security provisions have created certain policies such as Strategic
Sustainability Performance Plan that caters to the need of the growing demands of the global
population with the help of higher and modified technologies and strategies, without harming
or perturbing the environment as much as possible. Under the Strategic Sustainability
Performance Plan there is a mention of sustainable acquisition in the field of “reduce, reuse
and recycle” as well as conducting seminars, conferences and webinars to educate more
people regarding environmental crisis and speculated threats associated with it (Brzoska and
Fröhlich 2016 pg 178)
Due to the immense demand in global energy consumptions, it becomes a pertinent
aspect to question the fathom of using non-renewable energy resources. As per the data of
Khan et al. (2016) the global energy demand rose by 2.1% in 2017. In this regard, the most
popular energy resources are identified as oil and gas and coal with an astonishing hike in
international market demand. Indiscriminate use of non-renewable resource with lack of
understanding of the need and importance of saving the non-renewable energy resources
further creates huge obstacles to the process of making a world eco-friendly. As the report of
Bildirici and Gökmenoğlu (2017) confirmed that the creation of non-renewable resources is
very slow and those were possibly created in a long period of time. The industrial sectors as
well as domestic needs of non-renewable resource are highly linked with the escalating
growth of the world population (Chiras and Reganold2013). Therefore, it is evident that the
demand of the natural resources will be increased in a rapid pace. However, lack of
cooperation between the government and the industrial sector costs adverse impact on the
nature. According to Yuan et al. (2015) over 70% of the global energy demand is met by oil
and coal. However, those energy resources are limited and need to protect for the use of
future generation. It is associated with the emission of Carbon dioxide that costs great

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degradation in the environment. Subsequent growth in the global carbon emission is hiking
day by day and the current report points out an increase rate of 1.4%. The issue of global
warming results in melting down of the Poles. As per the scientists’ expectation, it will result
a flood or immense natural calamity that can bring down the living world on the verge of an
apocalypse. From that point of view, it is essential to initiate an environmental security
strategy internationally and restore the healthy environment that brings peace and wellbeing
around the world.
Environmental crimes are also provided significant amount of importance to the
prospect of designing an environment security strategy. Environmental crimes are associated
with a broad list of illicit activities like illegal trade in wildlife, smuggling of ozone-depleting
substances, illicit trade of hazardous waste, unregulated fishing and so on. According to a
report of the year 2013 declared by PEW Charitable Trust, there are evidences which says
that the act of illegal fishing is a global phenomenon including both exclusive zones of
economy of countries as well as in international waterways. By a thorough research
conducted by Forest Research Organisation in 2016, the report gave evidences of three major
countries; India, China and Vietnam were the importers of legal as well as illegal tropical
wood products and pieces and thereby, have reasonably been noted as countries performing
illegal logging. Illegal logging, according to the report, mainly happens in the countries
having tropical rainforests or dense tropical forest zones. It is not only related to endanger the
environment but also creates grave security issue for the people with a negative impact on
development (Wright 2017 pg 33). The purpose of such nocturnal practices is related to the
financial benefits but facilitates high risk in environment with rampant damage of the
environment. Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and
Flora (CITES) have taken up necessary steps to meet the issues related to such events of
environmental crime. Transnational activities with criminal persuasion towards issues such as

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fuel corruption, money laundering and poaching create huge impact on the global society and
environment. For an instance, wild animal trafficking like birds, crocodiles, monkey and
arachnids are the most popular nowadays. As a result of that it affected the environmental
balance intensely and has a great impact on the future stability of environment (Sohn 2016 pg
86). Besides this, indiscriminate logging is also played significant role in order to damage the
ecological balances extensively. For an instance, in Brazil the Rubber plantations started
deforestation in order to establish the rubber industry. However, this practice created huge
amount of adverse impact on the Amazon rain forest as that place was identified as the most
diverse forest around the world. The Urban environmental degradation can be resulted
through the electronic waste management due to the advent of technological advancement.
As per the research of Hall (2014) there are more than 50 million tonnes of electronic waste
every year dumped in the developing countries. Those are dangerous waste and a credible
factor for environmental degradation. Therefore, it requires recycling of those electronic
wastes to save the world. Recently, the department of Environment of United Nations came
into a partnership with an organisation named African Prosecutor Association in order to
manufacture and circulate manuals and notebooks that talks about prosecution related to
environmental crime helping different countries enhance education related to environmental
crime. Therefore, the role of the environmental security is highly relevant in order to establish
effective measures for the benefit of the global ecology.
The essay concludes with an idea that the growing urbanisation post-industrial
revolution throughout the world has given rise to an unprecedented rate of environmental
degradation which demands and has given rise to the need of environmental security
provisions to avoid any kind of global casualties. Beginning from the process of ozone layer
depletion and global warming that has given rise to climate change, the essay also focuses on
the issues such as increased rate of pollution as the toxins and radioactive wastes from the

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industries that are dumped directly outside which has caused them to enter into the food chain
and disrupting it giving rise to a myriads of health problems. The essay also discusses about a
numerous issues of environmental crisis such as scarcity of natural resources as well as local
abundance of non-renewable natural resources and trans-national and international conflict
related to them. One of the most significant environmental crisis which the essay talks about
is the issues related to environmental crime and adequate environmental security provisions
and acts that could be taken up and implemented to reduce or eradicate such gruesome acts
which claims the ecosystem and ecological balance of the earth. The essay focuses on the
significance or importance of the very concept of environmental security in today’s ever
emerging world of globalisation and industrialisation. The essay challenges the very
traditional concept of security and it amalgamates the traditional concept of security with the
latest concept of global security on the context of modern environmentalism and its
significance in present situation as well as future. Environmental crisis is considered a cause
and a reason for human insecurity. Through the holistic approach of environmental security,
the concept and importance of human security is echoed and promoted in the respective
essay.

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