Environmental Indicators: Regional Stability and Theater Engagement Planning
Abstract
Environmental stress is an important, but indirect, contributor to instability and potential conflict. It acts in combination with other socio-economic and institutional factors to produce the effects that lead to instability. Several theoretical and mathematical models of state instability and failure have been developed but are too complex for practical application. Thus, a simpler framework, the Stability Pyramid, is proposed to better identify and communicate the status of national and regional instability to geographic Commander-in-Chiefs, country teams, and ambassadors. This framework builds upon the positive linkages found between the environment, economic development, and state of institutional governance. Regional and international efforts to develop harmonized indicators and indices of environmental performance and sustainable development were reviewed in order to develop a Core Set of indicators for the Stability Pyramid framework that are believed representative of these multi-dimensional and complex linkages. This framework was then applied to reference countries representing three different regions within the United States European Command in an effort to determine its utility as an early warning tool in assisting policy makers to better identify, plan, and prioritize theater engagement activities and applicable interventions.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 2001
- Accession Number
- ADA394106
Entities
People
- Steven R. Hearne
Organizations
- Naval War College