Ecological Costs

Abstract

This chapter explores the character of Northeast Asian ecological security. Recent studies in security have sought to offer a broader and deeper understanding of what the contributors to the study edited by Schreurs and Pirages term ‘ecological security’.¹ For these observers, ecological threats such as degradation, resources loss, nuclear and energy safety, migration and disease all form legitimate security concerns ‘because they can lead to a deterioration in the quality of life as well as contribute to new domestic political tensions and international security dilemmas.’²