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Abstract

The study of environmental security revolves around a central idea that environmental problems — in particular, resource scarcity and environmental degradation — may lead to violent conflict between and among states and societies. Although these ideas are not new, they have gained momentum since environmental issues emerged on the international political agenda in the early 1970s (Gleditsch, 1998, p. 382). And while scholars such as Deudney (1990) lament the interlinking of environmental problems with security studies, for Dalby, since matters such as ozone depletion, pollution, and ‘many situations with a vaguely environmental designation’ are now ‘part of international political discourse and policy initiatives, environment cannot be separated from matters of what is now called “global” security’ (Dalby, 2002a, p. 95; Worldwatch Institute, 2005).

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© 2006 Michele M. Betsill, Kathryn Hochstetler and Dimitris Stevis

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Swatuk, L.A. (2006). Environmental Security. In: Betsill, M.M., Hochstetler, K., Stevis, D. (eds) Palgrave Advances in International Environmental Politics. Palgrave Advances. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/9780230518391_8

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