Essay on the Rise of Environmental Security in International Relations

This essay delves into the concept of environmental security, emphasizing its growing significance in international relations and as a central element of national security. It begins by defining environmental security and its connection to human and natural well-being, highlighting the convergence of environmental protection, policy development, and security thinking. The essay explores the rise of environmental security, discussing various approaches such as the systems, eco-centric, ecological, human, comprehensive, geopolitical, and social justice approaches. It examines the threats posed by environmental trends and events towards communities, individuals, or nations. The essay also discusses the securitization of the environment and provides a solution to maintain environmental security in the future, including green theory, realism, and other relevant theories to effectively securitize the environment. The significance of these approaches to environmental security regulates deeper issues to which it is maintained effectively and efficiently.

Running Head: Environment 0
International Relations
4/10/2019

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Introduction
Environmental security is termed as an association among the security of humans and nature,
which is a significant part of the international environmental policy. When people do not
have sufficient food, natural resource, shelter, and water required to live that generates an
unstable condition. It is quite evident that it is becoming more explicitly understood both in
the environmental community as well as in defense strategy. This is the reason why
convergence is seen among environmental protection, policy development, and natural
security thinking. Then they have come together to develop a new field of environmental
security. It examines threats posed by environmental trends and events towards communities,
individuals, or nations. It might concentrate on the influence of international relations and
human conflict on the environment (Nellemann et al., 2016). In this essay, the discussion has
been made on the rise of environmental security, which is central to national security.
The rise of environmental security
It is stated that environmental security is considered as environmental viability for life
support with the specified three elements:
 It protects the environment because of its inherent moral philosophy,
 It repairs the military loss to the environment, and
 It responds efficiently to environmentally caused disputes (E-International Relations,
2019).
It describes the capabilities of communities, individuals, or countries to cope with
environmental changes, risks, or conflicts. For instance, climate change can be depicted as a
threat to environmental security. Human activity influences global and regional climatic, CO2
emissions, and environmental changes, which predicts changes in environmental output. This
can tends to food shortages, which will then cause civil unrest, political debate, and ethnic
tension. Environmental security is an important aspect in two diverse fields’ i.e. international
development and international relations. It is stated that that within international
development, it might attain objective to enhance environmental aspects such as water as well
as food security. It also associated aspects of energy security that is being regarded as
Sustainable Development Goals at the United Nations level (Dalby, 2016).

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According to UNU Millennium project, it has been stated that Environmental security is the
situation of human-environment dynamics that involves renovation of the environment
damaged by military actions along with environmental degradation, biological threats, and
resource scarcities that could tend to social conflict and disorder. In the current historical
development of the socio-environmental framework, there is an improving superimposition
of biostructure, eco-structure, and technostructure, which leads to an increase in
thermodynamic sinks and flows. This has resulted in a vast impact on ecological processes,
patterns, and ecosystem sustainability (Stimson Center, 2019).
According to Barnett J (1997), environmental security is the proactive minimization of
anthropogenic threats to the functional integration of the biosphere and to its human factor.
Environmental security is significant because it discovers the suite of environmental threats
including both natural and human as they have the potential to undermine regional, global, or
national security. The progressively transactional and complex drivers of environmental
challenges compromise economic, ecological, and food security can motivate geopolitical
threat and destabilization. Through its cooperation with unconventional shareholders, they
need to initiate environmental security program, which works to recognize the roots of these
threats to stability and peace and develop innovative solutions (Florescu and Glenn, 2015).
Environmental security assists in implementing multilateral environmental agreements,
which tends to the continuing degradation of the natural and human health environment.
Their main goal is to contribute countries in accessing non-ozone depleting substances based
innovation within the deadlines set by the Montreal Protocol. It helps in developing the
capacities of national authorities, which are accountable for its implementation with respect
to developing, planning, maintaining, and execution of plans. It also assists in encouraging
sustainable innovative technologies to be used within these plans (Purdon, 2017).
It is stated that the environmental security is needed because security concerns in the Post-
Cold World concentrate on the transforming international security agenda and the political
instabilities, which have to recapitalize with the end of the cold war. There is also a
developing need for growth of environmental security associated concerns in international
negotiations involving military, political, and globalization concerns. It also concentrates on
the challenges faced as environmental degradation, erosion of sovereignty, huge population,
advances in communication, and complex interdependence. It is quite evident that security
paradigms are transforming and the vulnerabilities are being raised to an increased level by

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globalization, deepening gap between those who can deal with impacts of climate change,
and environmental sustainability. These are further exacerbated by the growth of terrorist
groups, combined with outdated legal, governance, & institutional framework, and improving
access to social and technological resources. Environmental security adds a new aspect to the
global security landscape, which concentrates on non-traditional threats and develops legal
and social perspectives. As a globalized phenomenon, it requires a global framework with
domestic actions (Stephens, 2016).
Securitization of the government describes a state-centered regarding security with the
capability to react to the environmental concerns, which rely heavily on the character of the
state. Economically dependent states and politically unstable might have to choose among
quick and cheap environmental protection. It has been contended that by involving a non-
military threat such as the aspect of environmental security, which represents a
demilitarization of security thinking (Proskuryakova, 2018). It is stated that the aspect of
environmental security incorporates the need for a political as well as dominant leadership to
make sure that the security is to be enhanced beyond their military security, which might
increase the extent of policymaking. Therefore, by securitizing environmental concerns and
making them part of high politics, the range of policy alternatives should be decreased. It is
evident that the securitization of the environment elaborates a manner of handling
environmental concerns where it is seen that these threats to the environment immediate and
urgent at the top political level. This is the most significant political as well as a social
contribution, which defines its potential demilitarization of security thinking. So, it is quite
satisfied that in the future, politicization or desecuritization is acceptable for making aware
people about environmental security and its significance. When it becomes part of the low
politics and lose their political sense of urgency and importance, they attract less public
interest. In any manner, the extent of political mobilization is accepted to rely heavily on the
perception of its efficacy (the Guardian, 2019).
There are several approaches to environmental security are-
 System approach- It is generally defined as a way of dealing with the difficult
problem for which a reductionist approach is too limited. It is commonly adopted in
the form of “system analysis” as a way of recognizing the system components,
defining the integrative relationship among them, inculcating the positive as well as
negative associations, and dealing with the potential constraints on the connection. It

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is primarily utilized to recognize effective ways to conduct tasks and potential effects
of poor performance, efficiency, and danger to the survival of the system. Therefore,
it has particular significance in evaluating current and developing environmental
security framework.
 Eco-centric approach- This approach sees humans as the concern and the environment
as the source of all value. It is stated that over-consumption is deregulating the
environment and so then radicals even go as far as hating them. It is associated with
ecofascism, which deliberates a system to which individuals must surrender their
freedom and justice (Hill, 2015).
 Ecological approach- This approach states that it discusses the views as an
interdependent framework among ecosystem, humans, life-forms, technology, and
social system where each part is indispensable to identify the whole. It seeks
ecological as well as an environmental problem as a solution to the global and
international dimension.
 Human approach- This approach states that it embraces the view that humanity is the
source of all the prestige and value in consideration with the environment and stresses
that we seek after our environment and manages with our own existence.
 Comprehensive approach- This approach of environmental security defines that the
global ecosystem depends upon human life. The security threat is the destructive
influence of human aspects that place humanity at greater risk.
 Geopolitical approach-This approach states the articulation of environmental damages
with national security, which has emanated from advanced countries regarding the
cross-border influences on their global as well as national interest deriving from
environmental conflicts.
 Social Justice approach- This approach states environmental security, where they
discuss the global majority in the advancing world. It also suggests the
interrelationship among diverse influences of environmental damage and wealth
polarization that are managed through forms of cordial relationship in a globalizing
environment (Jones and Anderson, 2019).
The significance of these approaches to environmental security regulates deeper issues to
which it is maintained effectively and efficiently. It is stated that the geopolitical problems
regarding national sovereignty and the destruction of the common world associated with
comprehensive approach have greatly dominated practices and policies with environmental

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security. Therefore, the arguments from a social justice approach have depicted critical
problems especially for their failure to address the causes of injustice and inequality that
could undermine the environmental degradation and poverty at greater level (Middleton et al.,
2015).
After discussing various aspects regarding environmental security, now the essay is turning
their way towards identifying a solution to maintain environmental security in the future. It is
stated that theories such as green theory along with Liberalism, Realism, and Critical theory
has been discussed to effectively securitize the environment (Naylor and Higgins, 2018).
The critical green theory depicts another possibility of addressing environmental concerns,
primarily depend upon the conviction that the environment needs to be “secured” and not
“securitized”. In this manner, the main object of reference shifts their way towards the
environment in which it is understood and recognized in combination with the individuals.
This theory contends for the demilitarization of security thinking in respect to concentrate on
the solution of the causes that tend to environmental degradation. In this manner, they seek to
maintain environmental security under the extent of human security. Their emancipation
primarily relies upon people to feel comfortable in the environment where they live. Their
welfare is interrelated with the conservation of the surrounding ecosystem and the main
objective is to preserve the environment (de Grenade et al., 2016).
This approach also discusses shifting of people perception about the environment, which does
not seem like a threat nor a potential cause for dispute. It is also understood under the extent
of “green theory of security” in which it is considered as the crucial objective of security. It is
stated that in order to manage the survival of the people and society, they should guarantee
the security of the planet and the elimination of the factors that preserve from the threat. This
critical view made them concentrate on the research agenda much more in the normative
dimension of the concern without delivering practical alternatives to evaluate the
environmental concerns within a security perception. Eventually, environmental security
provides a concept in which various problems are combined together under the same point.
This provides more encouragement to manage security and push those concerns on the
political agenda. Therefore, it does not require to deal with the problem that emerges
environmental concerns, which are the main threat to modern society (Hertel and Baldos,
2016).

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It has been argued by Steve Smith that defines how exactly it should be and there is no place
for the environment in the international association. Now, it has been discussing realism and
environmental security. It is stated that both of them are well-equipped to deal with the
existence of new threats posed by climate change and environmental deterioration (Ferguson,
2015). Environmental security is generally rising up to a greater level, as it defines a solution
to manage the condition at a vast level. The resource scarcity, human scarcity, and political
economy provide a basis in which the notion of environmental security should be compatible
with realism. Regarding the political economy, the economic disaster of a country caused by
the environmental factor has a propensity to destabilize the state when people become bored
by their government’s capability to deliver basic services when they need it. The resource
scarcity deliberates food, energy security, and water to environmental security. Human
security tends to discuss threats to critical infrastructure. It is stated that defensive realist pays
a major focus on the shifting of the balance of power and on the other hand, offensive realists
are concerned about sea level rise. They both pay equal attention to deal with the problem of
environmental security (Duit, Feindt and Meadowcroft, 2016).
Liberalism states that they deliver advice and suggestion regarding environmental concerns
and favor the theory of developing regimes to carry out with environmental issues. According
to Stephen Krasner, it has been stated that regimes combines explicit and implicit principles
and make expectation regarding developing international relations. Liberalism is positively
concerned with the globalization in the manner that it commonly thinks in respect of
ecosystem and biosystem (Meyer, 2017).
It is stated that environmental security can be prevented as a great extent in the manner that it
is asserted that climate change is a security threat. Half of the population is becoming
violently incapable because of the amalgamation of the environmental social, and governance
factors. It signifies the importance of recognizing and monitoring the impacts of threat
multipliers as poverty, scarcity of basic resources, demographic changes, and environmental
degradation. To control the environmental security needs to improve the climate change,
which can have the managerial implications and generate a major impact on the population
migration, livelihood, economic development, and access to shared assets (Twerefou, Danso-
Mensah and Bokpin, 2017).
It seems that the world population is presumed to grow at a very fast pace, which generated a
demand for water, employment, energy, and food, which need to be maintained at an extent.

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The growing of rapid application of the ecology system will be important for sustainable
development of the region. It is also stated that environmental security can be maintained by
considering that around 70-80% of the fresh water is trapped in ice caps, snowfields, and
glaciers, as these gone, it can be a tough situation for a human. The government needs to take
a step in ensuring special concentration to serious water shortages, environmental
degradation, urbanization, efficient industrial use, and social unrest (Dalby, 2017).
In maintaining environmental security world food prices can be controlled and maintained,
which is a significant part of stability. They can also control the extent of land degradation,
for example, it has been stated that improving desertification in Africa would exacerbate the
issue of migration to Europe. It is also seen that the transformation of economic and political
power could discover new ways of triggered by water and land grabbing. They need to
control the economic and military power, which can tend to local conflicts (South, 2017).
It also seems that water, as well as food issues, are continuously increasing at a very fast
pace. The constant political turmoil impacts the higher standard of living and also expanded
security issues all over the world. Environmental security rises so that it can build the ability
to deal with the threats generated from environmental situations, build resilience, and climate
change. They are an important part of creating sustainability, which decreases the risk of
cyber-attacks, regional instability, and terrorism. Every individual needs to equally
participate in developing trends for an environmental democracy that have an ecological
impact. Therefore, changes and rise are significant in order to make progress in generating an
efficient environmental security strategy and approaches (Fagan, 2017).
Conclusion
In conclusion, it has been stated that Environments security is an important part of connecting
both sustainable development goals and security. It is necessary to raise environmental
security in order to generate greater opportunities for people and innovate their strategies for
society. It is critical to rethink upon the approaches and policies to maintain effective
programs in order to identify the base of conflicts and respond to avoid unstable
circumstances. In a globalized world, sustainability shared perceptions of security and socio-
economic justice to successfully securitize the environment. Proper consideration of
resilience building and environmental security is necessary for administrative enterprises and

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national security. The insurance industry and corporate sector provide consideration to
environmental security.
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