Defining the Concept of Environmental Security

Background:

The early dialog on redefining security started in 1970s and 1980s, but the end of Cold War triggered new dialog and inquiry into human security and environmental security paradigms.  In the late-1990s, there was a strong push to define and understand implications of the environmental security concept.  However, since 9/11, environmental security research efforts continued at international level but with more limited U.S. focused activities and scholarship.

What is Environmental Security?

• High diversity of definitions for environmental security concept with 24+ definitions per King 2008
• 1998 AEPI two tier survey study determined U.S. and international set of common concept components
• Contested Grounds (1999) proposed definition conceptual categories
• 2000 AEPI study highlighted definitional problem and examined how to make concept actionable
• Definitions continue to multiply and the academic debate continues…

The project's literature review and field research identified and confirmed a spectrum of environmental security definitions that include:

• Environmentalist plot to conceptually muddy the waters and siphon defense resources (Mansfield 2004)
• “Real-politik” nation-centric security issues and maintenance of defense capabilities (Ohlsson 1999: 27)
• Environmental conflict concept that resource competition and stress augments or triggers conflict (Homer-Dixon 1994, 1999; Gleick 1993; Dalby 2002b).
• Environmental security component of “human security” paradigm (UNDP 1994: 24; Matthew 1999: 14; Floyd 2007b: 341)

Environmental Security in the United States:

In 1990s, the White House and the DoD embraced “real-politik” definition (DODD 4715.1) and started to build consensus on the term.  However,
the environmental security concept or even mention of environment was dropped from National Security Strategy (NSS) in 2000 with the post-9/11 shift of national security policy to GWOT, homeland security, Afghanistan, and Iraq.  With the unconventional realities of these challenges, NSPD-44 & DODD 3000.5 officially brought human security considerations back into national security policy but currently with still no mention of environmental security.

Environmental Security Definitions:

Based upon their responses, the projects participants indicated that there is widespread agreement with and consensus on most of the Glenn et al. (1998) environmental security common elements, which included:
 

1. "Public safety from environmental dangers"
2. "Natural resource scarcity"
3. "Maintenance of a healthy environment"
4. "Environmental degradation"

The exception to this broad consensus was the "prevention of social disorder and conflict" common element.  While was still significant support to include this under the environmental security concept, there was particular dissention on its mission relevance across the range of respondents.  Of those participants who thought it relevant, several cited new integrative national security mandates, such as NSPD-44 and DODD 3000.5, but also noted that these lacked a clear environmental component.

On-Going Environmental Security Challenges in United States:

• Lack of common and recognized environmental security definition
• Lack of U.S. national security policy and strategy mandate for environmental security activities, even when developed though operational necessity
• Limited understanding of U.S. environmental security players, existing capabilities, and need gaps

Key Resources on Defining Environmental Security:

While not a comprehensive list, the follow resources were found to be helpful to understand past efforts to define environmental security.  If there are others to be listed, please to not hesitate to contact us so we can add them to the environmental security definition resource list.

AC/UNU Millennium Project.  1998.  Environmental Security Studies Web Page.  Millennium Project of the American Council for the United Nations University (AC/UNU Millennium Project).  See http://www.acunu.org/millennium/env-sec1.html

Belluck, D.A., Hull, R.N., Benjamin, S.L., Alcorn, J., and Linkov, I.  2006.  Environmental Security, Critical Infrastructure and Risk Assessment: Definitions and Current Trends.  In: Morel, B., Linkov, I. (eds.). Environmental Security and Risk Assessment.  NATO Science Program.  Kluwer Academic Publishers.  3-15.

Chaturvedi, Sanjay.  1996.  The Polar Regions: A Political Geography.  Scott Polar Institute.  Wiley Publishers.  New York.  1-10. 

Dabelko, G.D. and Simmons P.J.  1997.  Environment and Security: Core Ideas and US Government Initiatives.  SAIS Review, Vol. 17, No. 1, (Winter-Spring 1997).  127-146.

Dabelko, G. and Matthew, R.  2003.  The Last Pocket of Resistance: Environmental Security in the Classroom.  In: Maniates, M. (ed.).  Encountering Global Environmental Politics: Teaching, Learning, and Empowering Knowledge.  Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.  New York.  107-128. 

Dalby, S.  2002a.  Environmental Security: Ecology or International Relations?  Proceedings of the International Studies Association, New Orleans (March 2002).  Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada.  1-14.  See http://www.carleton.ca/cove/papers/Security.rtf

Dalby, Simon.  2002b.  Security and Ecology in the Age of Globalization.  ECSP Report, Issue 8, Summer 2002.  95-108.  Environmental Change and Security Program (ECSP), Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars.  See http://www.wilsoncenter.org/topics/pubs/Report_8_Dalby.pdf

DOD.  1996.  Department of Defense Directive (DODD) NUMBER 4715.1 (February 24, 1996).  U.S. Department of Defense (DOD).  See http://www.dtic.mil/whs/directives/corres/pdf/d47151_022496/d47151p.pdf

Floyd, Rita.  2007a.  Human Security and the Copenhagen School’s Securitization Approach: Conceptualizing Human Security as a Securitizing Move.  Human Security Journal, Volume 5, Winter 2007.  The Copenhagen School.  38-49.  See http://www.peacecenter.sciences-po.fr/journal/issue5pdf/6.Floyd.pdf

Floyd, Rita.  2007b.  Towards a consequentialist evaluation of security: bringing together the Copenhagen and the Welsh Schools of security studies.  Review of International Studies, 33. British International Studies Association.  Cambridge University Press.  327-350.

Foster, G.D.  2001.  Environmental Security: The Search for Strategic Legitimacy.  Armed Forces & Society, Vol. 27, No. 3, (2001).  SAGE Publications.  373-395.  See http://afs.sagepub.com/cgi/reprint/27/3/373

Glenn, J.C., Gordon, T.J., and Perelet, R.  1998.  Defining Environmental Security: Implications for the U.S. Army (December 1998).  Army Environmental Policy Institute, U.S. Army, Department of Defense.  10-42.  See http://www.aepi.army.mil/internet/defining-env-sec-for-army.pdf

Homer-Dixon, T.F.  1994.  Environmental Scarcities and Violent Conflict: Evidence from Cases.  International Security, Vol. 19, No. I (Summer 1994).  5-40.  See http://www.library.utoronto.ca/pcs/catalog.htm

Homer-Dixon, T.  1999.  Environment, Scarcity, and Violence.  Princeton University Press. Princeton, New Jersey.  12-45.

King, W.C.  2000.  Understanding International Environmental Security: A Strategic Military Perspective (November 2000), AEPI-IFP-1100A.  Army Environmental Policy Institute, U.S. Army, Department of Defense.  xi-108.  See http://www.dean.usma.edu/departments/geo/GENEPublications/Security.pdf

King, W.C.  2008.  A Strategic Analytic Approach to Environmental Security for NATO.  NATO Security Science Forum On Environmental Security (March 12, 2008).  Brussels, Belgium.

Kingham, R.A. (ed.).  2006.  Inventory of Environment and Security Policies and Practices (IESPP): An Overview of Strategies and Initiatives of Selected Governments, International Organisations and Inter-Governmental Organisations (Oct. 2006).  Institute for Environmental Security (IES).  1-186.  See http://www.envirosecurity.org/ges/inventory/

Krause, K. and Williams, M.C.  1996.  Broadening the Agenda of Security Studies: Politics and Methods.  Mershon International Studies Review, Vol. 40, No. 2 (Oct., 1996).  229-254.

Mansfield, William H.  2004.  The evolution of environmental security in a North American policy context.   The Poverty & Environmental Times.  United Nations Environment Programme GRID-Arendal (UNEP/GRID).  See http://www.grida.no/_res/site/File/publications/environment-times/povertyNo2-section4.pdf

Matthew, R.A.  1999.  Introduction: Mapping Contested Grounds.  In: Deudney, D. and Matthew R.A.  Contested Grounds: Security and Conflict in the New Environmental Politics.  SUNY Press.  1-22.

Matthew, R.A.  2000.  The Environment as a National Security Issue.  Journal of Policy History, Vol. 12, No. 1.  Penn State University Press.  101-122.  See http://muse.jhu.edu/login?uri=/journals/journal_of_policy_history/v012/12.1matthew.htm

OECD-DAC.  2005.  Overview of the Links Between The Environment, Conflict, and Peace.  Issue Brief: Mainstreaming Conflict Prevention.  Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development – Development Assistance Committee (OECD-DAC).  See http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/26/49/35785489.pdf

Ohlsson, L.  1999.  Chapter 1. Environment, scarcity, and conflict – A debate and its origins.  Environment, Scarcity, and Conflict - A study of Malthusian concerns.  Department of Peace and Development Research, University of Göteborg.  1-32.  See http://www.padrigu.gu.se/ohlsson/files/ESC.html

Pumphrey, C.   2008.  Global Climate Change National Security Implications.  Strategic Studies Institute, U.S. Army War College.  See http://www.strategicstudiesinstitute.army.mil/pubs/display.cfm?pubID=862

Renner, M.  2005.  Security Redefined.  In: Renner, M., French, H. and Assadourian, E.  State of the World 2005: Redefining Global Security (January 2005).  Worldwatch Institute.  W.W. Norton. New York.  3-19.

Rønnfeldt, Carsten F.  1997.  Three Generations of Environment and Security Research.  Journal of Peace Research, Vol. 34, No. 4.  473-482.

UNDP.  1994.  UNDP Human Development Report 1994: New Dimensions of Human Security.  1994.  United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).  Oxford University Press.  New York.  See http://hdr.undp.org/en/reports/global/hdr1994/

Vandeveer, S.D. and Dabelko, G.D.  2001.  Redefining Security Around The Baltic: Environmental Issues In Regional Context.  In: Vincze, A., Petzold-Bradley, E., and Carius, A.  2001.  Responding to Environmental Conflicts: Implications for Theory and Practice.  Kluwer Academic Publishers.  Boston.  161-188.