ENVIRONMENTAL SECURITY: IS ENVIRONMENT A SECURITY THREAT?

Outline

1. Introduction 2. Conceptual understanding of security: the making of an alternative security discourse 3. Is environmental a security threat?: linking environment and security 4. Environment-threat-vulnerability nexus: real security threat 5. Impact of environmental degradation and national and international responses 6. Concluding remarks

ENVIRONMENTAL SECURITY: IS ENVIRONMENT A SECURITY THREAT?

Author: Niloy Ranjan Biswas

DOI Link: DOI: https://www.doi.org/10.56888/BIISSj2011v32n1a2

ABSTRACT

The evolving concepts of environmental security are debated in the discourse of security studies. Major theoretical paradigms of international relations have been quite successful to interpret the practical security problems arising from environmental and climatic changes. Academics and practitioners have started exploring the security implications of the changes at various levels. This paper explores how environmental degradation poses significant challenges to security. It reviews both traditional and non-traditional schools of thought of security studies. The paper examines the conceptual linkages between environment and security, focusing on the contributions of the constructivist school of thought in the construction of the idea of environmental security. It also examines the contribution of other schools, and acknowledges the importance of environment-threat-vulnerability framework that establishes the relationship between environmental degradation and potential conflicts. It works with a small set of empirical information to explain the prevalence and effects of ecological degradation and climate change, and national and international policy responses to address the threats. This paper concludes that environment is a significant threat to security.

BANGLADESH INSTITUTE OF INTERNATIONAL AND STRATEGIC STUDIES

Outline