Environmental Ethics in the Military: Between Warfare and Ecosystem Protection

Abstract

Environmental security can be framed in environmental risks towards security, such as extreme climatic events that incite new conflicts in local populations, and the security impact on the environment as a result of human-induced damage to the ecosystem. As a result, the fact that climatic-related events can pose a threat to security and the environmental footprint can undermine peace has thus raised a concern in many militaries of democratic nations. This research article introduces the mainstream environmental security literature through the geopolitical, human security and biocentric perspectives and main social trends to analyze ethical issues in the relationship between ecology and the armed forces. It is argued that there are two major ethical challenges for the military: the securitization of the development agenda that can lead to a militarized conservation in conflict areas; and the search for a corporate sense of responsibility in terms of efficient and still ecologically sustainable operational systems that comply with international environmental agreements.