Environmental Security and Megacities: An Application of Q Methodology

Abstract

Cities impact on the environment was always been visible and a serious matter of issue. Megacities or megaregions, with the overcrowding population and the uncontrollable destruction of the natural environment due to economic growth and the need of mega-amounts of energy, have not only regional but a global environmental impact. Even if the concept of environmental security is not yet well defined and properly promoted as the proper environmental protection security mechanism, it is more than ever appropriate to be the problem-solver and practical solution of the unmanageable and irresistible environmental disruption in megacities. This paper establishes and analyses the perspectives of two megacities’ inhabitants such as Cairo and London with the aims to understand the public’s needs and viewpoints and find out reasonable solutions of the megacities impacts on the environment. By applying Q methodology (a new research method for security studies) in two concepts such as megacities and environmental security, we open the discussion on the sensitive topic of ‘mega environmental crisis’ with the view of encouraging the further concentrate at the solutions in the subject matters. The purpose and motivation of this paper is to provide a brief overview of Q methodology and the connection between environmental security and megacities based on the impact that the last ones have on the environment and the solutions coming directly from the people living in these megacities.