Discussion

Environmentalists argue that military, economic, and environmental security are interrelated. If a nation's environment is degraded to the point that soils become widely infertile or numerous workers get sick from pollution, the economy will deteriorate. If economies fail, unemployment and poverty will increase and national security may be threatened by internal unrest. Hostile nations or foreign criminal groups may also take advantage of a nation's weakened environment, chaotic social structure, and poor economy. Others argue that while the environment is important to a nation's security, terrorism, unemployment, hunger, and inflation are more urgent and short-term threats.

Do you believe that environmental security is just as important as economic and military security?