Worldwide Emerging Environmental Issues Affecting the U.S. Military. Summarizing Environmental Security Monthly Scanning May 2005 - May 2006
Abstract
The purpose of the monthly scanning reports is to assess worldwide environment-related events in order to identify and analyze issues that might trigger future international environmental regulations and/or modifications to the existing ones with potential implications for the military. Environmental security continues to move up on national, regional, and international agendas due to increasing scientific evidence of climate change, extreme weather events, the number and intensity of natural disasters, pollution, potentials for pandemics, and nuclear-biological-chemical threats. The Army Strategy on the Environment reflects this new direction. Environmental diplomacy is increasingly being used to support conflict prevention efforts and to build international confidence, while human security is gaining recognition in both military and diplomatic circles. Environmental security is a link between the two. The Millennium Project defines environmental security as environmental viability for life support, with three sub-elements: *preventing or repairing military damage to the environment, *preventing or responding to environmentally caused conflicts, and *protecting the environment due to its inherent moral value. This summarizing paper presents the events and emerging environmental security-related issues identified since May 2005, organized around this definition.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 01, 2006
- Accession Number
- ADA528854