Environmental security as part of the concept of national security: Republic of Croatia and neighboring countries

Značenje pojma sigurnosti kroz povijest se mijenjalo i širilo. Izazovi 21. stoljeća ne mogu se savladati ako se sigurnost ne prilagodi prijetnjama koje nemaju granicu. To je u prvom redu ekološka sigurnost koja je dugo bila zanemarivana. Ona je globalna pojava koja ne podliježe nacionalnim granicama. Države moraju uvrstiti pojam i pojavu ekološke sigurnosti u svoje sigurnosne sustave. Ukoliko to ne naprave, potrošiti će se resursi na prijetnje koje su samo fiktivne, a trajno se narušiti čovjekov okoliš. Zato se u radu istražuje transformacija sigurnosti do danas, te se onda gleda primjena i inkorporiranost ekološke sigurnosti u zakonima, sporazumima i drugim dokumentima. Za primjer analize uzeta je Republike Hrvatske i sve njene susjedne zemlje (Bosna i Hercegovina, Crna Gora, Italija, Mađarska, Slovenija i Srbija). Od svake zemlje analiziralo se zakonodavstvo i institucije koje su usko vezane uz sigurnost (npr. ministarstvo obrane, strategija nacionalne sigurnosti) i koje su vezane uz zaštitu okoliša (npr. ministarstvo okoliša, zakon o zaštiti okoliša). Rezultati su pokazali da ekološka sigurnost još uvijek nije dovoljno priznata. Za kraj, donosi se pregled suradnje Republike Hrvatske i susjednih zemalja u bilateralnom i multilateralnom obliku. Ekološka sigurnost je na nivou zajedničkih sporazuma slabo zastupljena. S druge strane, ima dosta regionalnih instrumenata koji se bave sigurnosti i ekološkom sigurnosti, ali upravo to zamagljuje odgovornosti i vrši mnoga dupliciranja i preklapanja. Ekološka sigurnost je još uvijek nepoznanica za većinu sigurnosnih sustava na području jugoistične Europe. Često se miješa sa zaštitom okoliša, pa je to postalo zamjena za nju. Ovaj rad je jedan od prvih prikaza Republike Hrvatske i svih susjednih zemalja, te njihove povezanosti na području ekološke sigurnosti, a ne isključivo „tradicionalne“ sigurnosti. Sve zemlje obiluju prirodnim bogatstvima, pa je zato još važnije da se poradi na tom području. Budući da je ekološka sigurnost slabo zastupljena u sigurnosnom diskursu, ostaje vidjeti kako će se budući događaji razvijati. Hoće li se trebati nešto dogoditi, što bi postalo okidač za promjene, ili vrijeme ekološke sigurnosti tek dolazi - to je pitanje za buduća istraživanja.The meaning of the concept of security has changed and expanded thorought history. The challenges of the 21st century can not be overcomed if security can not adapt to threats that have no boundaries. It refers to ecological safety primarily that has long been neglected. It is a global phenomenon that is not subjected to national boundaries. National states must include the term and the sole emergence of the environmental safety into their security systems. If they do not do so, they will spend resources on the threats that are only fictitious, and on the other side will permanently destroyhuman environment. Therefore, this paper researches the transformation of security up to date, and then looks for the use and incorporation of the environmental security within laws, agreements and other documents. The analysis within this paper takes Republic of Croatia and all of its neighboring countries (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Italy, Hungary, Slovenia and Serbia) as an examples. From each country the legislation and institutions that are closely related to safety have been analyzed (e.g. Department of Defense, National Security Strategy) and those which are related to environmental protection as well (e.g. Ministry of Environment, Law on Environmental Protection). The results have showed that environmental security is still not sufficiently recognized. In the end, this paper brings an overview of the bilateral and multilateral cooperation between the Republic of Croatia and its neighboring countries. Environmental security is at the level of common agreements poorly represented. On the other hand, there are plenty of regional instruments dealing with security and environmental security, but that is just what blurs the responsibilities and creates many duplications and overlappings. Environmental safety is still unknown to the most security systems in the area of Southeast Europe. It is often mixed with environmental protection, thusbecoming substitute for it. This paper is one of the first representations of the Republic of Croatia and all of its neighboring countries, their connections in the field of environmental security, and not only 'traditional' security. All countries are very rich in natural resources, therefore it is even more important to work on that area. Since the environmental safety is poorly represented in the security discourse, it remains to see how the future events will unfold. Is it neccessary for something to happen, which would become the trigger for change, or the time of environmental safety is yet to come - that is the question for further researches. 4