Human Security and the Environment

In the post-Cold War era the pre-eminent threats to our security derive from human degredation of vital ecosystems as well as the possibility of war and terrorism. This title examines this "security-environment" paradigm and the way in which the activities of societies are shifting the balance with nature. The authors investigate this redefinition of security with particular reference to environmental threats such as climate change and the availability of adequate supplies of food and water. They illustrate how unfettered economic growth, rising levels of personal consumption and unsustainable natural resources and energy procurement are taking a heavy toll on the global environment. This, in turn, is forcing both developed and developing countries to re-evaluate the more immediate environmental security of their own populations. For a truly global perspective, the authors present a series of country case studies, looking at issues of security and environment, and comparing how they influence policy and human well-being.