The contentious and ambiguous entanglement that military forces have with their natural environment inevitably sparkles public interest and academic research. So how does the existing scholarly work inform our assessment of this convergence?

A window into what we are reading at the Wilson Center’s Environmental Change and Security Program

Indonesia’s Deforestation Intensifies Extreme Weather Impacts (Associated Press)

Indonesia’s vast biodiverse forests have long sustained livelihoods, food supplies, medicine, and cultural practices. Yet the past seven decades have put them under threat. Since 1950, over 74 million hectares, or nearly 286,000 square miles, of rainforest has been logged, burned, or degraded. The country’s key industries—palm oil, paper, rubber, and mining for oil and critical minerals—are largely to blame. This is occurring in a specific context: Indonesia is not only one of the largest global CO2 emitters globally, but it is also highly vulnerable to climate change—particularly climate change-induced extreme weather events.

A window into what we are reading at the Wilson Center’s Environmental Change and Security Program

UN Report Highlights Relationship Between Water and Peace (UN Water)

Freshwater consumption is growing at a steady rate, driven largely by agriculture, yet roughly 50% of the world’s population experiences severe water scarcity for at least part of the year. Poor water quality in low-income countries is attributable to low wastewater treatment, whereas in high-income countries, agricultural runoff does the damage. Extreme droughts or heavy rainfall, exacerbated by climate change, also have worsened in frequency and intensity, creating a deepening impact on global water security.

Central and South Asia’s water resources are critical for the region’s water, energy, food and environmental security. Major rivers in the region originate from the Hindu-Kush-Himalaya, Pamir, and Tien Shan Mountain Ranges and flow across multiple countries. Unique geographical characteristics make water management a complex and challenging task that is further complicated by a changing climate and increasing demand affecting diminishing water resources. 

A window into what we are reading at the Wilson Center’s Environmental Change and Security Program

China is Leading the World on Renewable Energy (Yale 360)

In November, Chinese and U.S. climate envoys pledged to triple global renewable energy by 2030, signaling renewed cooperation between the top two greenhouse gas emitters. However, the two countries are not quite on equal footing when it comes to renewable energy.

Iran’s southeastern province of Khuzestan—which borders Iraq—was already a dry and dangerous place. It was the site of the fiercest battles in the Iraq-Iran war which followed the Iranian Revolution in 1979, and to this day, the region still has many unexploded landmines.

Yet this legacy of violence is not the only issue facing its residents. As climate impacts mount in Khuzestan, the future looks bleak for both the region’s ecosystems and the people already living on this borderline.