Contributions of Landscape Sciences to the Development of Environmental Security

The growing knowledge about environmental change, stress, and degradation has increased the visibility of environmental condition as an important determinant of security, especially given the emergence of new political, economic, social, and environmental challenges since the end of the cold war. The relationship between environment and security now is a common interest among both the scientific and policymaking communities, supported by the fact that the traditional security concepts based on territorial integrity and political sovereignty have been revisited following the changes in the geopolitical landscape at the end of the last century.

Security generally is related to both a perception of freedom from risk and freedom from anxiety or fear. Security aims at providing expected services, safety, and protecting valuable assets from harm, even during times of increased threat or risk. Security is achieved through both prospective (preventative) and retrospective (mitigation) actions on the part of governments, agencies, and people. Perceptions of security by individuals, communities, and societies are strongly linked to human well-being and to the satisfaction of the population.