The implications of environmental degradation on security: the case of Aral Lake Basın and Southeastern Anatolia Project (GAP)

Abstract

Traditional security conceptualizations of International Relations are no longer adequate to respond to increasing insecurities because of changes in international circumstances, most notably the end of Cold War. Diversification of issues and actors require a new definition of threat, a move beyond traditional militarily oriented threat, which is directed by an external actor against the State. This requires an extension of the security agenda to cover other factors causing insecurity which is no longer limited with the potential of the factors to cause "conflict", especially to encompass environmental security; and a deepening of the security agenda by moving towards insecurities of non-state subjects, particularly to cover individual security. The study clarifies these concepts and the new security agenda through the case studies of Aral Lake basin and Southeastern Anatolia Project (GAP).