DOCSLIB.ORG

The World Climate and Security Report 2020

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
The World Climate and Security Report 2020 THE WORLD CLIMATE AND SECURITY REPORT 2020 A Product of the Expert Group of the INTERNATIONAL MILITARY COUNCIL ON CLIMATE AND SECURITY FEBRUARY 2020 www.imccs.org THE WORLD CLIMATE AND SECURITY REPORT 2020 A Product of the Expert Group of the INTERNATIONAL MILITARY COUNCIL ON CLIMATE AND SECURITY February 2020 Cover Photo: U.S. Army Service Members return to the U.S. Virgin Islands to assist with disaster relief operations in response to Hurricanes Irma and Maria, Sept. 23, 2017. U.S U.S. ARMY / PVT. ALLEEA OLIVER/RELEASED www.imccs.org The International Military Councilon Climate and Security (IMCCS) is a group of senior military leaders, security experts, and security institutions across the globe dedicated to anticipating, analyzing, and addressing the security risks of a changing climate. The IMCCS is co-led by: IMCCS Secretary General The Honorable Sherri Goodman Former Deputy Undersecretary of Defense (Environmental Security) US Department of Defense Senior Strategist, The Center for Climate and Security IMCCS Chair General Tom Middendorp (Ret) Former Chief of Defence of the Netherlands Senior Associate Fellow, Clingendael Institute The IMCCS Expert Group consists of IMCCS leaders committed to driving analysis, policy and communications on climate and security, including through the development, publication and endorsement of the World Climate and Security Report, as well as other timely analysis driven by demand signals from the IMCCS. The IMCCS Expert Group currently consists of representatives from four institutions: • The Center for Climate and Security (CCS), an institute of the Council on Strategic Risks (CSR) • The Planetary Security Initiative at the Netherlands Institute of International Relations (Clingendael) • The Hague Centre for Strategic Studies (HCSS) • The French Institute for International and Strategic Affairs (IRIS) This report should be cited as: “The World Climate and Security Report 2020.” Product of the Expert Group of the International Military Council on Climate and Security. Authors: Steve Brock (CCS), Bastien Alex (IRIS), Oliver-Leighton Barrett (CCS), Francesco Femia (CCS), Shiloh Fetzek (CCS), Sherri Goodman (CCS), Deborah Loomis (CCS), Tom Middendorp (Clingendael), Michel Rademaker (HCSS), Louise van Schaik (Clingendael), Julia Tasse (IRIS), Caitlin Werrell (CCS). Edited by Francesco Femia & Caitlin Werrell. Published by the Center for Climate and Security, an institute of the Council on Strategic Risks. Feb 2020. © 2020 The Center for Climate and Security, an institute of The Council on Strategic Risks www.imccs.org FOREWORD The inauguralWorld Climate and Security Report 2020 from the Expert Group of the International Military Council on Climate and Security (IMCCS) provides global and regional assessments of the security risks of a changing climate, as well as opportunities for addressing them. It is the first report of its kind, and is intended to inform future climate and security policy and analysis. This report addresses a broad spectrum of the security risks of climate change, including: • Where human security risks spill over into higher-order security risks, such as political instability, conflict, major natural disasters involving significant military and humanitarian responses, mass displacements of peoples, and threats to critical resources and infrastructure • Geopolitical impacts of climate change including regional and inter-state tensions and conflicts • Impacts of climate change on military and defense, including military infrastructure, force readiness, military operations and military strategy The report is anchored by a contemporary, global survey of the climate security landscape from the vantage point of international military and security expert contributors. On the risks side, the report includes a Global and Regional Risk Overview - a description of the most current knowledge on the intersection of climate change and security at the regional and international level. This section also includes a Climate Security Risk Perception Survey, which is the first survey to assess perceptions of risk among military and security professionals who are concerned about climate change. Regarding opportunities for addressing those risks, the report includes initial results from a Climate Security Strategic Capability Game - a unique gaming approach that aims to increase awareness about relevant capabilities and capacities that are needed for conflict prevention and response in the context of climate change. Further, the report highlights some best climate security practices among national militaries and national security establishments, as well as intergovernmental security and military institutions, and explores how climate change is being incorporated into defense strategy and policy, and national and international military operations. The report concludes with recommendations for the way forward. The report clearly shows that climate change is a matter of national and global security. Consequently, the international security community has a responsibility to prepare for and to prevent the security risks of climate change, as well as a responsibility to cooperate to meet this unprecedented threat. Signed, The Honorable Sherri Goodman Secretary General The International Military Council on Climate and Security General Tom Middendorp (Ret) Chair The International Military Council on Climate and Security www.imccs.org 4 CONTENTS KEY RISKS AND OPPORTUNITIES 6 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 7 RISKS 9 I. GLOBAL AND REGIONAL RISK OVERVIEW 10 AFRICA 13 ARCTIC 28 EUROPE 33 INDO-ASIA PACIFIC 42 MIDDLE EAST 53 NORTH AMERICA 66 SOUTH AND CENTRAL AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN 84 II. CLIMATE SECURITY RISK PERCEPTION SURVEY RESULTS 102 OPPORTUNITIES 122 III. CLIMATE SECURITY GAME RESULTS 123 IV. HIGHLIGHTS: MILITARY BEST PRACTICES ON CLIMATE AND 136 SECURITY V. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS: 147 GLOBAL SECURITY COOPERATION www.imccs.org 5 KEY RISKS AND OPPORTUNITIES Key Risks: Significant or higher risks to global security under current circumstances 1. Climate change-exacerbated water insecurity is already a significant driver of instability, and according to 93% of climate security and military experts surveyed for this report, will pose a significant or higher risk to global security by 2030. 2. Though fragile regions of the world are facing the most severe and catastrophic security consequences of climate change, all regions are facing significant or higher security risks due to the global nature of the risks. For example, 86% of climate security and military experts surveyed for this report perceive climate change effects on conflict within nations to present a significant or higher risk to global security in the next two decades. 3. As reinforced by the 31 nations represented in the International Military Council on Climate and Security (IMCCS), an increasing number of national, regional and international security and military institutions are concerned about, and planning for, climate change risks to military infrastructure, force readiness, military operations, and the broader security environment. 4. Climate mitigation, adaptation and resilience efforts are increasingly urgent to avert the significant security consequences of climate change, yet some proposed solutions such as geoengineering could present negative second-order effects to global security, if not implemented carefully. 5. Rising authoritarianism, sharpened global competition and national agendas are hampering the needed cooperation among nations to address the security risks of climate change. Key Opportunities: A path forward for global security cooperation on climate change 1. National, regional, and international security institutions and militaries around the world should advance robust climate resilience strategies, plans and investments, especially regarding climate implications for water and food security and their associated effects on stability, conflict and displacement, in their primary mission sets or lines of effort. 2. Security and military institutions should demonstrate leadership on climate security risks and resilience and encourage governments to advance comprehensive emissions reductions and adaptation investments to avoid those security disruptions. Military organizations can also lead by example through taking advantage of the significant opportunities to adopt lower carbon energy sources, and make progress on other greenhouse gases beyond carbon dioxide. 3. Climate-proofing development assistance for vulnerable nations which are likely hotspots of instability and conflict, as well as climate-proofing other policies affecting those regions, should be a priority for conflict prevention. Assistance should be aimed at climate resilience challenges such as water security, food security, and disaster preparedness. 4. The international community should embrace a Responsibility to Prepare and Prevent framework, given unprecedented foresight capabilities regarding the unprecedented risks of climate change.1 This includes ensuring all levels of government and civil society, including all national, regional and international security institutions, are prepared for the security implications of climate change. 5. Security institutions around the globe should integrate climate knowledge and training into institutional frameworks to ensure that knowledge and understanding of climate change threats permeates the organizational culture. For example, climate security curricula should be added to national and regional training
Load more

Recommended publications
  • The Golden Milestone Reminiscences of Pioneer Days Fifty Years Ago in Arabia
    The Golden Milestone Reminiscences of Pioneer Days Fifty Years Ago in Arabia By SAMUEL M. ZWEMER and JAMES CANTINE Introduction by LOWELL THOMAS NEW YORK Fleming H. Revell Company LoNDON AND EDINBURGH electronic file created by cafis.org JAMES CANTlNE SAMUEL M. ZWEMER AFTER FIFTY YEARS electronic file created by cafis.org Copyright. MCMXXXVIll. by FLEMING H. REVELL COMPANY All rights reserved: no pari of thit book may b. reproduced in any form without permisswn from the Publisher, excePt by a reviewer desiring to quote brief passages for inclusion in a notice to be inserted in a newsPaPer or perwdkal. New York: 158 Fifth Avenue London: 21 Paternoster Square electronic file created by cafis.org electronic file created by cafis.org INTRODUCTION THE explorer, the missionary, the soldier and then the merchant. That, I believe, is the traditional order. Since the dawn of history the explorer, of course, has been the first to penetrate unknown or little known parts of the earth, the first to unroll the map. And for the past two thousand years the missionary has been the second to arrive on the scene, usually a few leagues ahead of the soldier and the merchant. The names of great explorers are usually emblazoned across the pages of history. Not so with the mission­ ary. But in the region where he spends the active years of his life the great missionary is often a leg­ endary figure, and frequently exploration is his sideline. Among the names now a legend along the romantic coast of Arabia, are the two Americans who are the authors of this book.
    [Show full text]
  • The Political, Security, and Climate Landscape in Oceania
    The Political, Security, and Climate Landscape in Oceania Prepared for the US Department of Defense’s Center for Excellence in Disaster Management and Humanitarian Assistance May 2020 Written by: Jonah Bhide Grace Frazor Charlotte Gorman Claire Huitt Christopher Zimmer Under the supervision of Dr. Joshua Busby 2 Table of Contents Executive Summary 3 United States 8 Oceania 22 China 30 Australia 41 New Zealand 48 France 53 Japan 61 Policy Recommendations for US Government 66 3 Executive Summary Research Question The current strategic landscape in Oceania comprises a variety of complex and cross-cutting themes. The most salient of which is climate change and its impact on multilateral political networks, the security and resilience of governments, sustainable development, and geopolitical competition. These challenges pose both opportunities and threats to each regionally-invested government, including the United States — a power present in the region since the Second World War. This report sets out to answer the following questions: what are the current state of international affairs, complexities, risks, and potential opportunities regarding climate security ​ issues and geostrategic competition in Oceania? And, what policy recommendations and approaches should the US government explore to improve its regional standing and secure its national interests? The report serves as a primer to explain and analyze the region’s state of affairs, and to discuss possible ways forward for the US government. Given that we conducted research from August 2019 through May 2020, the global health crisis caused by the novel coronavirus added additional challenges like cancelling fieldwork travel. However, the pandemic has factored into some of the analysis in this report to offer a first look at what new opportunities and perils the United States will face in this space.
    [Show full text]
  • Beyond Internal Conflict: the Emergent Practice of Climate Security
    Journal of Peace Research 2021, Vol. 58(1) 186–194 Beyond internal conflict: The emergent ª The Author(s) 2020 Article reuse guidelines: practice of climate security sagepub.com/journals-permissions DOI: 10.1177/0022343320971019 journals.sagepub.com/home/jpr Joshua W Busby LBJ School of Public Affairs, University of Austin-Texas Abstract The field of climate and security has matured over the past 15 years, moving from the margins of academic research and policy discussion to become a more prominent concern for the international community. The practice of climate and security has a broad set of concerns extending beyond climate change and armed conflict. Different national governments, international organizations, and forums have sought to mainstream climate security concerns empha- sizing a variety of challenges, including the risks to military bases, existential risks to low-lying island countries, resource competition, humanitarian emergencies, shocks to food security, migration, transboundary water manage- ment, and the risks of unintended consequences from climate policies. Despite greater awareness of these risks, the field still lacks good insights about what to do with these concerns, particularly in ‘fragile’ states with low capacity and exclusive political institutions. Keywords climate change, climate security, environmental security, human security During a visit to the Pacific island nation of Tuvalu in security; and third, how policy can be made more effec- 2019, UN Secretary-General Anto´nio Guterres wrote on tive going forward. Twitter: ‘We must stop Tuvalu from sinking and the world from sinking with Tuvalu’ (United Nations, The challenges 2019). Guterres underscored the existential risks of cli- mate change for low-lying island countries.
    [Show full text]
  • Georgia Water Quality
    GEORGIA SURFACE WATER AND GROUNDWATER QUALITY MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT STRATEGY Okefenokee Swamp, Georgia PHOTO: Kathy Methier Georgia Department of Natural Resources Environmental Protection Division Watershed Protection Branch 2 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive Suite 1152, East Tower Atlanta, GA 30334 GEORGIA SURFACE WATER AND GROUND WATER QUALITY MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT STRATEGY 2015 Update PREFACE The Georgia Environmental Protection Division (GAEPD) of the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) developed this document entitled “Georgia Surface Water and Groundwater Quality Monitoring and Assessment Strategy”. As a part of the State’s Water Quality Management Program, this report focuses on the GAEPD’s water quality monitoring efforts to address key elements identified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) monitoring strategy guidance entitled “Elements of a State Monitoring and Assessment Program, March 2003”. This report updates the State’s water quality monitoring strategy as required by the USEPA’s regulations addressing water management plans of the Clean Water Act, Section 106(e)(1). Georgia Department of Natural Resources Environmental Protection Division Watershed Protection Branch 2 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive Suite 1152, East Tower Atlanta, GA 30334 GEORGIA SURFACE WATER AND GROUND WATER QUALITY MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT STRATEGY 2015 Update TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS .............................................................................................. 1 INTRODUCTION.........................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • The UN Security Council and Climate Change
    Research Report The UN Security Council and Climate Change Dead trees form an eerie tableau Introduction on the shores of Maubara Lake in Timor-Leste. UN Photo/Martine Perret At the outset of the Security Council’s 23 Feb- particular the major carbon-emitting states, will ruary 2021 open debate on climate and security, show the level of commitment needed to reduce world-renowned naturalist David Attenborough carbon emissions enough to stave off the more dire delivered a video message urging global coopera- predictions of climate modellers. tion to tackle the climate crisis. “If we continue on While climate mitigation and adaptation 2021, No. #2 21 June 2021 our current path, we will face the collapse of every- measures are within the purview of the UN thing that gives us our security—food production; Framework Convention on Climate Change This report is available online at securitycouncilreport.org. access to fresh water; habitable, ambient tempera- (UNFCCC) and contributions to such measures tures; and ocean food chains”, he said. Later, he are outlined in the Paris Agreement, many Secu- For daily insights by SCR on evolving Security Council actions please added, “Please make no mistake. Climate change rity Council members view climate change as a subscribe to our “What’s In Blue” series at securitycouncilreport.org is the biggest threat to security that humans have security threat worthy of the Council’s attention. or follow @SCRtweets on Twitter. ever faced.” Such warnings have become common. Other members do not. One of the difficulties in And while the magnitude of this challenge is widely considering whether or not the Council should accepted, it is not clear if the global community, in play a role (and a theme of this report) is that Security Council Report Research Report June 2021 securitycouncilreport.org 1 1 Introduction Introduction 2 The Climate-Security Conundrum 4 The UN Charter and Security there are different interpretations of what is on Climate and Security, among other initia- Council Practice appropriate for the Security Council to do tives.
    [Show full text]
  • Monitoring Beach Changes As an Integral Component of Coastal Management
    N° 15 Monitoring beach changes as an integral component of coastal management NVIRONMENT AND DEVELOPMENT IN COASTAL REGIONS AND IN SMALL ISLANDS E Previous titles in the CSI info series: Titles in the CSI series Coastal region and small island papers: 1 Integrated framework for the management of beach resources 1 Managing beach resources in the smaller Caribbean islands. within the smaller caribbean islands. Workshop results. 1997. Workshop Papers. Edited by Gillian Cambers. 1997. 269 pp. 31 pp. (English only). www.unesco.org/csi/pub/info/pub2.htm (English only). www.unesco.org/csi/pub/papers/papers1.htm 2 UNESCO on coastal regions and small islands. Titles for 2 Coasts of Haiti. Resource assessment and management needs. management, research and capacity-building (1980–1995). 1997. 1998. 39 pp. (English and French). 21 pp. (English only). www.unesco.org/csi/pub/info/pub1.htm www.unesco.org/csi/pub/papers/papers2.htm www.unesco.org/csi/pub/papers/papiers2.htm 3 Qualité de l’eau de la nappe phréatique à Yeumbeul, Sénégal. Étude sur le terrain. 1997. 27 pp. (French only). 3 CARICOMP – Caribbean Coral Reef, Seagrass and Mangrove www.unesco.org/csi/pub/info/info3.htm Sites. Edited by Björn Kjerfve. 1999. 185 pp. (English only). www.unesco.org/csi/pub/papers/papers3.htm 4 Planning for coastline change. Guidelines for construction setbacks in the Eastern Caribbean Islands. 1997. 14 pp. 4 Applications of Satellite and Airborne Image Data to Coastal (English only). www.unesco.org/csi/pub/info/info4.htm Management. Seventh computer-based learning module. Edited by A.
    [Show full text]
  • An Analysis of Climate Change and Human Security
    University of Texas at El Paso ScholarWorks@UTEP Open Access Theses & Dissertations 2020-01-01 Understanding the Connections: An Analysis of Climate Change and Human Security Erica Martinez University of Texas at El Paso Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.utep.edu/open_etd Part of the Environmental Sciences Commons, and the International Relations Commons Recommended Citation Martinez, Erica, "Understanding the Connections: An Analysis of Climate Change and Human Security" (2020). Open Access Theses & Dissertations. 3002. https://scholarworks.utep.edu/open_etd/3002 This is brought to you for free and open access by ScholarWorks@UTEP. It has been accepted for inclusion in Open Access Theses & Dissertations by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks@UTEP. For more information, please contact [email protected]. UNDERSTANDING THE CONNECTIONS: AN ANALYSIS OF CLIMATE CHANGE AND HUMAN SECURITY ERICA MARTINEZ Master’s Program in Political Science APPROVED: _______________________________________________ Charles R. Boehmer, Ph.D., Chair _______________________________________________ Irasema Coronado, Ph.D., Co-Chair ________________________________________________ William L. Hargrove, Ph.D. _________________________________________ Stephen Crites, Ph.D. Dean of the Graduate School Copyright © by Erica Martinez 2020 DEDICATION To Sophie, the light of my life. UNDERSTANDING THE CONNECTIONS: AN ANALYSIS OF CLIMATE CHANGE AND HUMAN SECURITY by ERICA MARTINEZ, B.A. THESIS Presented to the Faculty of the Graduate School of The University of Texas at El Paso in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of MASTER OF ARTS Department of Political Science THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT EL PASO May 2020 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I consider myself tremendously fortunate to be surrounded by intelligent, kind, and motivating people who inspire me daily.
    [Show full text]
  • Ecopeace Middle East
    EcoPeace Middle East Celebrating Earth Day at 50: EcoPeace Middle East – at the Intersection of Sustainability and Peacemaking by Gidon Bromberg With the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, EcoPeace Middle East’s Jordanian, Palestinian, and Israeli staff and interns are now all working remotely from home. Like everyone, we are adjusting as best we can to the ever-changing circumstances and closely following the guidelines of our respective Ministries of Health. As we develop creative ways to work virtually, we will be able to continue our important mission. Sadly, the coronavirus outbreak once again demonstrates the absolute urgency of cross-border cooperation. The virus, and environmental issues generally, simply do not recognize political borders. We remain committed as ever to promoting and facilitating regional cooperation towards the protection of our shared environment and our shared future. Founded in 1994, EcoPeace Middle East is a unique regional organization with offices in Amman, Ramallah, and Tel Aviv that brings together Jordanian, Palestinian, and Israeli environmentalists to work together to protect our shared environment. An award-winning trailblazer in the field of environmental peacebuilding, EcoPeace seeks to advance sustainable development while creating the necessary conditions for lasting peace in the region. EcoPeace’s staff work as teams of three, with department members from Israel, Jordan, and Palestine. This collaborative model ensures that each area’s perspective is accounted for. Most of the work is performed locally, but regional programs and planning meetings take place as well. EcoPeace’s distinctive approach combines both top-down advocacy for policy change and bottom-up community-based constituency building.
    [Show full text]
  • Crisis Management Military
    Crisis Management Lessons from the military Lecture by Tom Middendorp, Former Chief of Defense, The Netherlands Maintaining trust in uncertain times Recently Avida International organised a webinar featuring Tom Middendorp, former Chief of Defense of the Netherlands. His views on crisis management contain valuable lessons for managers looking for solid advice: Our worlds are similar A crisis is characterised by a high degree of unpredictability and produces an oen disruptive effect, caused by external factors that are difficult to influence. It affects every part of your organisation and each segment of your value chain. Your partners, suppliers and stakeholders are similarly impacted and set their own priorities, with their own consequences. The safety of your employees is at stake, as is the survival of your organisation. All this results in increasing emotions and a growing pressure on managers in particular. How should you deal with this? How can you reduce such stress and uncertainty? How can you keep your people motivated in such an environment? How can you join forces with stakeholders and partners for your mutual benefit? Which priorities should you set and what do you base these on? These are questions a military commander in a crisis situation also struggles with. For the past 10 years I have been involved in crisis management on a daily basis and in recent months I have shared my experiences with hundreds of companies and organisations. And what I hear is that many of those experiences can also be applied in business. The following are some lessons on how to be a leader in crisis circumstances and how to organise this in your company.
    [Show full text]
  • National List of Beaches 2008
    National List of Beaches September 2008 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Office of Water 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington DC 20460 EPA-823-R-08-004 Contents Introduction ...................................................................................................................................... 1 States Alabama........................................................................................................................................... 3 Alaska .............................................................................................................................................. 5 California.......................................................................................................................................... 6 Connecticut .................................................................................................................................... 15 Delaware........................................................................................................................................ 17 Florida ............................................................................................................................................ 18 Georgia .......................................................................................................................................... 31 Hawaii ............................................................................................................................................ 33 Illinois ............................................................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • A Green Blue Deal for the Middle East
    0 | Page A Green Blue Deal for the Middle East Authors: Gidon Bromberg, Israeli Director, Nada Majdalani, Palestinian Director & Yana Abu Taleb, Jordanian Director. EcoPeace Middle East is a unique organization that brings together Jordanian, Palestinian, and Israeli environmentalists. Our primary objective is the promotion of cooperative efforts to protect our shared environmental heritage. EcoPeace has offices in Amman, Ramallah, and Tel-Aviv. Forward and Acknowledgment This report incorporates earlier texts of EcoPeace Middle East including “Water Energy Nexus: A Pre- Feasibility Study for Mid-East Water-Renewable Energy Exchanges” (2017), “An Agreement to Share Water between Israelis and Palestinians” (2012), “Governance Structures for transboundary water management in the Jordan basin” (2016), “Climate Change, Water Security, and National Security for Jordan, Palestine, and Israel” (2019), “Can Water Bring The Political Process To A Safer Shore?: Water Issues from a Source of Conflict to Vehicle for Regional Cooperation and Stability” (2016), “Regional NGO Master Plan for Sustainable Development in the Jordan Valley” (2015), “Health Risks Assessment for the Israeli Population following the Sanitary Crisis in Gaza” (2019), “Israeli Water Diplomacy and National Security Concerns” (2018), “Report on the Status of the HebronBesor-Wadi Gaza Basin” (2018), “River out of Eden: Water, Ecology and The Jordan River in the Abrahamic” (2017). For more information or to download any of our publications please visit: www.ecopeaceme.org. The authors would like to credit and thank Shelby Kaplan for her assistance in various rounds of edits of early drafts of this report. The authors are also grateful for comments received from Lucy Kurtzer- Ellenbogen, Neil Kritz and Robert Barron from the United States Institute for Peace and Henk Ovink (Special Envoy for International Water Affairs of the Kingdom of the Netherlands) and Jasper van Mastrigt (Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of the Netherlands).
    [Show full text]
  • Ecosystems Assessment Makes Sense Full Situational Awareness in CIMIC
    Ecosystems assessment makes sense Full situational awareness in CIMIC In military history, the environment has always been one of the most important factors in military operations. Efficient use of the terrain and battleground was a sine qua non in order to defeat the enemy. For all belligerents, it was of vital importance to deny the opposing force the chance to make beneficial use of the environment at hand. Often in cases of retreat, local resources were destroyed or polluted to prevent the enemy from using them. These environmental oriented techniques of war have a huge negative impact on the local population. Although key civil infrastructure, private possessions, and foremost civilians, are protected by a variety of international laws and conventions, these laws have not always been enforced by all sides of the conflict, especially in cases of civil war or situations where one of the actors is making use of hybrid warfare. In order to support the achievement of stabilization and sustainable peace, this handbook helps to assess ecosystems and manage resources, thus contributing to the full situational awareness in CIMIC. Civil-Military Co-operation Centre Of Excellence (CCOE) PO Box 5013 - 7500 GA Enschede - The Netherlands [email protected] - www.cimic-coe.or Society stabilization by winning the environment Ecosystems assessment makes sense... Full situational awareness in CIMIC Commander N. Gallagher, Major (ret.) P. Wit First Edition 2012 ISBN/EAN: 978-90-813165-2-1 Preface NATO Civil-Military Cooperation is a complex process linking military and civil contributions using a comprehensive and cohesive approach to support societies in re-stabilizing, as well as the resolution of complex emergencies to which the Alliance is committed in general.
    [Show full text]