Broadening the Global Security Debate: Regional and Global Dialogues on Environmental Issues

Abstract

Evidence is mounting in many countries that traditional, economically-important activities are posing increasing threats to the environment. The stresses are being felt simultaneously at the regional, national and global level. These impacts of human activity take many forms. Damage from the loss of forests and the acidification of lakes and streams are proving a major cost to economies in Europe, the United States and Canada. Dangerous levels of water pollution from agricultural and industrial chemicals can be measured from China to California, from Poland to the Philippines. Soil erosion threatens agricultural productivity from Iowa to India. Tropical deforestation in Asia, Latin America and Africa increases the risk of soil erosion at the same time that it reduces forest productivity and biological diversity.