Environmental Security and Climate Change: “A Security Assessment of the Balkan Region”

Abstract

This presentation provided a baseline understanding of the concepts of environmental security with a particular focus on understanding the security threats posed by the key environmental security drivers of climate change and water as a scarce resource. The presentation defined environmental security as a process where human-induced environmental changes have the potential to deny people access to their basic human needs and thereby create security threats. Case studies of Afghanistan, the Nile River watershed, and the Tibetan Plateau were used to illustrate how environmental change with population growth creates security threats and can lead to failed states or even open conflict. A special emphasis was given to examining the security threats resulting from the key climate change drivers. The presentation closes with presenting key findings from master’s theses from two Bulgarian officers who conducted environmental security and climate change studies for the Balkan Region.