GLOBAL CHANGE, ENVIRONMENTAL SECURITY, AND THE PRISONERS-DILEMMA

Environmental problems, including the recent concern with the 'global change' problematique, now occupy a prominent position on internationa l agendas and are recognized as a legitimate concern of peace research . Numerous scholars, policy-makers, and activists have proposed broade ning use of the concept security beyond its traditional geopolitical a nd military focus to take into account environmental threats that seri ously jeopardize human well-being. This article examines arguments tha t have been made both for and against use of the concept 'environmenta l security'. To assess the utility of this approach, the core concept 'security' is defined in terms of threats and vulnerabilities. Strateg ies for enhancing security are distinguished on the basis of whether t hey are designed (a) to reduce threats or vulnerabilities and (b) to b e carried out unilaterally or collectively. Parallels are drawn betwee n the options available to achieve military and environmental security with reference to the Prisoner's Dilemma game, which has been used wi dely to explain why states seek military security through counterprodu ctive arms buildups rather than through a potentially much less costly strategy of mutual arms reductions. While the logic of the Prisoner's Dilemma did not prevail in the successful negotiations on protecting the ozone layer, it may become a significant factor in international e fforts to address the problem of climate change. The larger question f or peace research is whether the pursuit of environmental security can be channeled into cooperative arrangements that promote sustainable d evelopment rather than self-serving, nationalistic ventures that will heighten international conflict and perpetuate international injustice s.