Resource Scarcity:--
Resources comprise everything that the earth and the cosmos provides to mankind
to exist, survive and to develop further. Amongst other things, this includes
water,
food and energy.
71% of the planet is water but less than 3% of it is fresh. Most of that is either
in
the form of ice and snow in Greenland and Antarctica or in deep ground water
aquifers. And less than 1% of that water (0.1% of all the earth’s water) is
considered
available for human needs, with much of it remote.
Global water consumption is rising quickly, and water availability is likely to
become one of the most pressing and debatable resource issues of the 21st
Century. The scarcity and uneven distribution of water makes masses of people
move on as environmental refugees. In many Sub-Saharan countries, the average
per capita water–use is 10-20 litres a day. (By contrast, the per capita
residential
use in Europe runs as high as about 200 litres a day.) At the dawn of the 21st
century, 1.3 billion people did not have access to safe drinking water. Some 2.5
billion, 35% of the world’s population, lack adequate sanitation and 5 million die
each year from water-related diseases.
One third of the world’s population lives in countries already experiencing
moderate to high water stress, and that number could rise to two thirds in the
next 30 years without serious water conservation measures and coordinated
watershed planning among water users. Experts claim that we have to focus on
new methods of using existing water.
Water disputes may escalate into international conflict as limited freshwater
resources become more scarce. Global food production is adequate, but over 800
million people remain undernourished. Over the next 30 years, feeding an additional
2 billion people will be more challenging due to rising grain crop yields, soil
degradation, and poor irrigation practices. Transitioning to resource-efficient
farming methods and genetic farming could help meet food needs without increasing
environmental burden. Modern industrial economies consume high amounts of natural
resources, causing significant environmental change.
Nuclear Weapons Proliferations:-
Despite disarmament treaties, the world entered the 21st century with large
arsenals of nuclear weapons. In 2001, the world's arsenal amounted to 19,265
warheads, less than 1/3 of the number in the mid-1980s. The START and INF treaties
were significant, but the world was still not safer due to the proliferation of
nuclear weapons. Euro-Atlantic countries were concerned about non-compliance with
the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) and the proliferation of these
weapons. Iran's nuclear program has been a cause for concern since 2002. In 2015,
an agreement on Iran's nuclear program was signed, in exchange for lifting
international sanctions. However, the problem arose of rebuilding cooperation
between the West and Iran after decades of misunderstandings.
Over the 21st century, the world's nuclear arsenals have been reduced by more than
20%, and according to SIPRI data, at the beginning of 2016 they amounted to
approximately 15,395 warheads, including about 4,120 deployed in operational forces
and 1,800 on high alert. The order of countries in terms of the total number of
nuclear warheads is as follows: Russia - 7,290, USA - 7,000, France - 300, China -
260, Great Britain - 215, Pakistan - 110-130, India - 110-120, Israel - 80, North
Korea - 1010. It should be noted that this is still a huge
arsenal of the most deadly weapons, and the mere fact that states possess it does
not allow for a full sense of international security.
The proliferation of nuclear weapons poses a serious threat to international
security, as it creates the possibility of additional states acquiring these
weapons. The common task of the international community is to prevent the
proliferation of nuclear weapons and maintain strict control over nuclear
technology for peaceful purposes, as well as other weapons of mass destruction.
Terrorism:-
Another serious threat to international security is the rapid development of
political terrorism. Terrorism is indeed a phenomenon not new, but one that has
been affecting Europe since the 1970s, but today it is perceived by politicians,
media and ordinary people as the greatest and most direct threat to the life and
health of completely innocent citizens.
The most serious threat is Islamic terrorism, which developed with the successive
phases of the Arab-Israeli conflict, and in the 1990s in connection with Chechen
separatism on Russian territory. Some Arab and Islamic states have become involved
in supporting terrorism. Other states also play a significant role in its
development, and citizens of Western countries also carry out terrorist attacks.
For the Euro Atlantic countries, the breakthrough was the suicide bombings in New
York and Washington on September 11, 2001, in which about 3,000 people and 300
officers of various services died during the rescue operation. After them, US
President George W. Bush declare the "war on terrorism.
This war continues to this day and is one of the generators of Islamic terrorism.
Another source of terrorism was the military intervention of the US and allies in
Iraq.
During the American war on terrorism, the perception of terrorism was manipulated,
with Muslim countries being blamed and equated with Islam. This led to the
escalation of terrorism, with more terrorist groups admitting to belonging to Al-
Qaeda. The West's irrational and strategic policy of supporting the Arab Spring in
2011 strengthened a new wave of fanatical terrorism, the Islamic State (IS), which
emerged in 2014 on parts of Iraq and Syria. The IS carried out a series of
terrorist attacks in Paris, Tunisia, and Kenya, causing widespread shock. In
November 2015, terrorists carried out a series of attacks in Paris, killing 129
people and wounding 350. In March 2016, three coordinated terrorist bombings in
Brussels killed 32 people and injured 316. In July 2016, a truck trampled in Nice
killed 84 people and wounded 202, and a similar attack took place in Berlin,
killing 12 people and wounding 48. The Islamic State claimed responsibility for the
attacks.
Further terrorist attacks were prevented by the special services of several Western
European countries, but the threat remained. These events confirmed the already
maturing opinion that terrorism constitutes a major threat to international
security, especially for the countries of the EuroAtlantic zone.
Ecological Threats:-
Since the 1980s, international relations researchers have highlighted the growing
threats to international security posed by environmental pollution. The increasing
contamination of ecosystems negatively affects people's quality of life, society's
health, and even poses threats to the biological survival of residents in areas
where ecological disasters have occurred. The use of non-renewable resources has
led to unacceptable inequalities between people, causing states to include this
issue in their security policies. As ecological threats spread easily across state
borders, new international interdependencies are created, necessitating joint
efforts to protect the natural environment. Contemporary concepts of strengthening
international security, especially those that combine security with "self-
sustaining development," emphasize the growing interdependence between development,
security, and environmental preservation. However, ecological threats are generally
ignored or underestimated in Euro-Atlantic security debates, with greater
importance given to intentional threats, including those bringing violence.
Artificial Intelligence:-
While the use of AI is leading to new efficiencies in many different industries,
the rapid adoption — and reliance on — the new technology is raising concerns for
international security specialists. Apart from the more common concerns of AI
providing false information and it being used to accomplish sophisticated cyber
attacks, AI may pose a greater existential threat.
In defense and warfare, AI has the potential to completely transform the way that
we handle geopolitical conflict and war. Experts expect that military entities will
primarily hold AI for strategy and tactics, as well as in the creation and
operation of automated weapons. While this technology could improve target
prioritization , strengthen deterrence and assist in decision-making, this
technology poses great risks unless regulations are put in place. For example, we
are already seeing AI being used in automated weapons and drone strikes. In order
for this technology to be used ethically, defense departments must ensure that
automated targeting systems will not harm civilians.
