Environmental security, abrupt climate change and strategic intelligence

This paper assesses the current policy efforts to define and confront environmental security chal-lenges. National and international organizations (eg ENVSEC, NATO, US DOE, OSCE) have made renewed attempts in recent years to address environmental links to security, and since 2002 have been forced to redefine and reassess efforts in light of new data, emerging political pressures, and accelerating environmental conditions. While ‘classically ’ defined envi-ronmental security problems remain yet unresolved, institutions are attempting to adapt to new expectations and responsibilities, including a broadening of geographical responsibility into regions such as the Arctic, where previously no involvement was thought necessary. This re-search focuses on the opportunities of such efforts, the likely challenges they faces in the future, and recommendations for how to link environmental security research to intelligence needs and strategic policies. The case of abrupt climate change risks as a security issue in the Arctic will highlight these concerns.