Environmental Security And Climate Change

Introduction

To gather information on environmental security, global powers and security, terrorism and extremism, weapons of mass destruction and proliferation and security in the Middle East I largely relied on internet research. This involved the use of information gathered from the internet from the World Wide Web which provides free information. Internet research largely influenced the way ideas were formed in my head on these topical issues and the knowledge that I gained. Every other time when one carries out an internet search, there are thousands of results that are displayed and my role involved going through different websites gathering important information and ascertaining the authenticity of my sources. I used these sources because they are free and they also do not consume a lot of time. I gathered my information mostly from websites of international organisations like the United Nations, the United Nations Environmental Programme and the United Nations Security Council among others.

The problem I encountered, however, is that there are some websites that are widely used as databases that required me to join them and further subscribe at a fee before I could access their resources. There are other databases that even required me to part with money to be able to download their resources. I went around this however, by doing extensive searches and going through different results and analysing them critically before incorporating them in my work.

I discovered that there are several powerful states who are at the centre of every other major thing that happens in the world. These powers control the economy of the globe, wield the most military power and have immense political influence. I gained specific interest in the issue of environmental security and climate change being an environmental protection champion. I sought to know more about environmental security and climate change and whether climate change is an issue worth of securitisation and the influence climate change has had on environmental security.

Environmental security and Climate change

Climate change has had immense contributions to the long running discussions on environmental security and has led to more emphasis being put in the transformation of planetary systems in general (Barnett, 2018). As observed during the preparation of the podcasts, environmental security refers to conflicts that are induced by the environment and also any forms of insecurity that come about as a result of shortage in resources and the degradation of landscapes. Large scale climatic changes have the potential of bringing about existential threats that endanger the survival of the human race (Climate and Security- emerging trends and adaptive strategies, 2019).

Climate security appeals represent recent attempts as introducing environmental concerns into security agenda that have by far, been successful (Chalecki, n.d.). However, even with this success, the link between security and environmental change remains a topic that is hotly contested (King, Delev and Gerowski, 2017). Often, more urgent threats silence environmental problems. The emergence of global environmental problems like the depletion of the ozone layer and also global warming have contributed to the attempts to securitise the environment globally. Suggestions were made by the Brandt Report of 1980 that threats to the human race`s survival and peace carried more weight than those threats that were posed by the prospects of the biosphere`s cumulative and irreversible degradation on which human life largely relies on (Dierner, 2019). The need to redefine security`s nature in a world that is interdependent and that faces new challenges is made evident by these new threats. Examples of climate-induced environmental threats to security are: Loss of territorial sovereignty as a result of rising sea levels, problems of migration induced by climatic changes, environmental problems like the threat of a water crisis when one state does not have adequate supply of fresh water which has the potential of creating new conflicts and even worsening pre-existing conflicts (Climate and Security- emerging trends and adaptive strategies, 2019).

A window for debating a common approach for security affairs was opened by the environmental security discourse that happened during the post-Cold War era. In 1988, the United Nations General Assembly stressed that the relationship between man and the environment had grown into a menace and global warming was the new threat to the sky and not even missiles (Conca, 2016). Climate change concerns led to the formation of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change that was created for the purposes of assessing human impact`s scientific, technical and socio-economic aspects and also to the signing of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change in Rio back in 1992 (Cadman, 2019). However, even with the efforts of the United Nations, international institutions have not been so quick to designate climate change formally, as a security issue. That is even with the rather clear effects that climate change has had on different states and even the potential obliteration of low-lying island states by the rising levels of oceans. To some extent this is a result of the fact that permanent members to the United Nations Security Council are the largest emitters of greenhouse gases.

Greenhouse gases contribution to climate change has under scrutiny for some time now. Global atmospheric issues were first addressed by the Vienna Convention of 1985 which adopted different measures that were aimed at protecting the health of human beings and also the environment against adverse effects that would come about as a result of human activities affecting the ozone layer (Jacun, 2017). The ozone layer is a film of oxygen molecules that occurs at an attitude of 25 kilometres over the equator and 15 kilometres over the poles acting as a shield against the suns dangerous ultra-violet radiations (Abbasi, 2017). The surface of the planet has drastically changed as a result of declining fish stocks, increased concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, and increased mining activities, the re-routing of rivers, increased biodiversity loss and large scale changes in land use (Ghosh, 2018). All these are activities that are pioneered by human beings which implies that humans play a major role in the shaping of the basic systems of the earth. It is very important to give consideration to the ways through which these new circumstances that are a result of human activities impact on states and populations. This requires the rethinking of security in new ways (Goodman, 2009).

Human activities substantially contribute to the increased concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere bringing about climate change. Climate change`s ill-effects include droughts and floods which have adverse effects on poor population all over the world who mostly involve themselves with agriculture (Dey and Mishra, 2017). Other effects of climate change like storm charges destroy local infrastructure, crops and houses and end up devastating people. Resources have grown into a crucial part of the environmental security discussions because they are at times the objects of conflict and the use of fossil fuels and the planets deforestation make immense contributions to the increased concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. The increased concentration of greenhouse gases is the main cause for climate change.

The change in focus is driven by the increased recognition and awareness that human activities contribute to climate change and traditional security measures and unilateral action would not effectively solve the problem (Deng and Chen, 2017). The planetary system`s configuration, which will provide the context for human security in the coming years is being shaped by a very industrious humanity.

The vulnerability to extreme events has in the recent years shifted its focus to natural disasters and being inadequately prepared for events like droughts, floods and storms. That is related to concerns of human security that are linked to the fates of those citizens who are poor and consequently vulnerable than traditional security concerns like warfare between states. With no doubt, in the context of globalisation, the focus on hazards has made immense contributions to the discussions on security preparedness and has further heightened the perceived need for co-operation between states in being ready to deal with environmental changes in the coming years. Climate change vulnerabilities are now not just an issue of concern for rural populations in the global south, from, floods and droughts, it is clear that even the Northern populations are vulnerable to weather events that are enhanced by climate change. Concern on shortage of crucial resources has also been part of the discussion on environmental security.

There are, however, arguments that climate change does not constitute an objective existential threat thus making it unjustifiable to securitise climate change. According to Floyd, (2012), in any security sector, for securitisation to happen: it is necessary that there is an objective existential threat, which implies that there has to be a threat that puts to danger the survival of actors regardless of whether there is anyone aware, security reference objects have to be morally legitimate and that only happens when the reference objects are conducive to the well-being of human beings which involves the satisfaction of the needs of human beings and it is also important that security responses are appropriate to the threats in question, that is, security responses have to be measured in accordance to the aggressors capabilities and the securitizing actors have to be sincere in their intentions. Macdonald (2012), argues that the existing link between environmental change and violent conflicts is not as clear as suggested often. For instance, while the Darfur war was considered a climate war, labelling the Darfur conflict as a climate war is immature because environmental factors have not been isolated as conflict drivers.

According to Macdonald (2012), these environmental conflicts have a high likelihood of being low in intensity and subnational. The likelihood of violence coming about is low along fault lines that are developed between developed and developing countries. Floyd (2012), even argues that conflicts are parts of a dynamic that brings different groups together and not a disturbance of societies that are otherwise stable. I however, find these arguments being ignorant of the fact that there are numerous lives lost in the course of different environmental issues like famines which concerted global efforts could help prevent.

Conclusion

Environmental security is a core aspect of human security and emphasises on those issues that pose threats to the environment like climate change, increased air, land and water pollution, desertification (Climate change and security risks, 2018). All these are occurrences that threaten the security of private individuals and even entire states. When climate change is not managed appropriately, adverse effects on different issues come about. These revolve around climate change`s physical aspects like increments in surface temperatures, extreme patterns of weather, rising sea levels, hydrological disruptions and energy and water disruptions. Climate change has since developed into a major security issue together with other security issues.

Entire populations` security is increasingly jeopardised by non-military environmental threats that are unpremeditated. These are threats perpetrated by human beings themselves and they affect different parts of the world differently. While southern countries have to deal with desertification, industrial countries in the north deal with acid rains while polar countries witness increased depositions of persistent organic chemical pollutants.

Planning for the new circumstances faced by humanity collectively require cooperative measures (Climate and Security- emerging trends and adaptive strategies, 2019). Environmental security parameters are changed by the recognition that the future conditions of the environment are being shaped by planning decisions on energy, forestry and the economy. Planning for the future has to consider that climate change is being pioneered by human activities. Shaping of the future for prevention of conflicts in now key to environmental security. It is very that the future is shaped properly to prevent conflicts in the future and that has to be done and at the same time, efforts have to be put to reduce the use of fuels that are carbon-based. It is also important to ensure that adaptive measures are thoroughly thought through to avoid situations of them bringing about even more conflicts.

References

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