Environment and security: The concept of ecological and environmental security

Abstract

The terms environmental and ecological security are often used interchangeably by both scientists and politicians, especially in Serbia. Whereas environmental security refers fundamentally to the threat of environmental degradation to political stability, ecological security refers to the creation of a condition where physical surroundings of a community provides for all its needs without diminishing natural resources. Accordingly, ecological security is embedded in the concept of sustainable development. Various trends in the development of security concept and environmental changes are presented in this paper. Finally, scientific explanations of the terms environmental and ecological security are given.