The Security Landscape—Systemic Risks Shaping Non-traditional Security

Abstract

Today’s security landscape is being shaped by an inherent Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, Ambiguity (VUCA). The threats and risks to safety and security derive from both man-made and natural circumstances. Events like Hurricane Michael (2018), Hurricane Maria (2017), COVID-19 pandemic (2020), Ebola Outbreak (2014–2016), Hurricane Katrina (2005), Fukushima Daiichi nuclear meltdown (2011), Typhoon Haiyan (2013) and global terrorist events illustrate the devastating effects of natural and man-made disasters on human systems and human security (Masys et al. in Procedia Econ Financ 18:772–779, 2014 []). As reported in Masys and Lin (Asia/Pacific security challenges—managing black swans and persistent threats. Springer Publishing, 2017 []), over the past four decades there have been a growing number of small and medium-scale disasters which have resulted in a total loss of over US$1.15 trillion. This threat and risk landscape challenges regional security along such lines as: national security; energy security; water security; food security; health security; human security; environmental security; economic security. Considering the current COVID-19 pandemic, as of November 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic has seen upwards of 60 million cases, 1.4 million deaths, and has significantly impacted the global economy and affected the most vulnerable. The impacts have seen the closure of borders, economic disruptions and failures, strained and overwhelmed health care systems, failure of supply chains all of which are contributing to a human and national security issue. The COVID-19 represents a national and global health security disaster revealing systemic vulnerabilities. A disease anywhere is a disease everywhere. Threats to global human security reside within disease vectors that are transnational making sensemaking an essential element of security. Sensing the threat and risk landscape that characterizes the security environment requires an understanding of the inherent systems, interdependencies, nonlinearity across the security domain. This chapter provides an overview of the complex security landscape and the inherent systemic risks that shape the security discourse.