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Growing Threats to
Environmental Security
Prof. C. K. Varshney
Former Dean and Professor, School
of Environmental Sciences,
Jawaharlal Nehru University New
Delhi- 110067.
Since the Stockholm Conference the
concern for environmental security has rapidly grown and is now
considered an important issue of global agenda for peace and security.
In spite of its growing importance there is no unanimity among scholars
about the meaning and content of environmental security. Traditionally,
the notion of national security has been understood as a set of
conditions that guarantees the ability of a State to protect its
citizens, and pursue its national interests, free from both real and
imagined impediments and threats. In contrast, environmental security is
concerned with relative safety from environmental change caused by
natural or human processes due to ignorance, accident, mismanagement or
design and originating within or across national borders. Environmental
change implies destabilizing the delicate ecosystem equilibrium
developed and fine tuned over billions of years of evolution. Threats to
environmental security are usually diffuse, unintended, trans-national,
cause and effect often separated in time and space, have long term
implications, and their resolution require commitment and cooperation
from a wide range of actors.
Over exploitation and ecosystem
degradation poses serious threat to environmental security.
Environmental deterioration and degradation involving deforestation,
decertification, reclamation of wetlands, damming of rivers, clearing of
riverine and mangrove vegetation in coastal areas have frayed the
natural safety net that healthy ecosystems provide. According to recent
estimates environmental degradation is threatening the health and
livelihoods of two billion people living in arid regions round the
world.
Ecosystem disruption and over
exploitation of natural resources are important drivers of violent
conflict within and between States, leading to human misery and loss of
life. Ecosystem disruption from natural disasters - Tsunami, floods in
Mumbai, Hurricane Katrina - caused: large scale devastation,
unprecedented misery and loss of human life. Weather related' disasters
have growing economic and human toll. The economic losses from such type
of disasters during 2004 were almost twice the total in 2003. Unless
effective prophylactic and remedial measures are taken, tsunami and
Katrina type of disasters will soon be common feature in the coming
decades.
Instead of invading armies we must
now contemplate the like of 'invading' pollution, rising sea levels,
increased ultra violet radiation, and increased threat of diseases, such
as malaria, HIV/AIDS, SARS, and bird flue that are as much threatening
as any warfare. Reckless tampering with the earth's life support systems
and habitat loss has taken heavy toll of the regions rich biodiversity
resources. Continued loss of biological diversity threatens human health
and undermines economic potential. Threats to environmental security are
potential trigger of economic and political conflicts. Moreover,
environmental security is a prerequisite for achieving the 'Millennium
Development Goals'
To protect the citizens and to ensure
their wellbeing, nations must plan and promote environmental
conservation for safeguarding environmental security. Healthy ecosystems
form the underpinnings of environmental security, sustainable
development and long term wellbeing of people. Often causes and origin
of threats to environmental security layout side the national borders.
Trans-boundary issues remain out side the scope of national legislation
and institutions. For pragmatic reasons cooperation between nations is
vitally important. Innovative means and mechanisms have to be devised to
take collective action for environmental protection through policies
that are cooperatively defined and implemented.
Growing threats to environmental
security demand promotion of 'collective security', a new form of
diplomacy and international co-operation. Resolution of environment
security threats will not only remedy the environmental constraints but
will also serve as confidence building measure contributing towards
peace making. In view of global ecological interdependence there is a
need to design new forms of ecologically enlightened development,
diplomacy and governance. |
