Links in the Chain: Environmental Concerns for the Global Economy and International Security

Abstract

No aspect of the global supply chain is untouched by environmental concerns and none more so than the security, broadly writ, of the supply chain itself. From the extraction and exploitation of natural resources, to the production of goods and their movement around the world all the way to consumption, the environment impacts every link of the chain. While uncertainties remain about the projected rate of sea level rise, the global and regional effects of climate change and the implications for international security, there can be no doubt that changes in the environment will present new and unprecedented risks for us all. From a practical and policy perspective, however, it is necessary to take a step back – while keeping an eye on the future – to get a better sense of vulnerabilities and what future risks and opportunities might portend. This report will focus on reasonable expectations of what the future may resemble – as suggested by security insights and current scientific consensus – on indicators related to such concerns as sea level rise, extreme weather events, climate change, economics, political security and their overall impacts.