Environmental Issues and Terrorism

8/6/2019 Environmental Issues and Terrorism

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Environmental Issues and Terrorism:A Call for Sustainable Development


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Introduction

In recent years, we have become concerned about thethreat of terrorism in new and dangerous forms. Yetour military establishments and institutions havebeen slow to refocus on environmental, ethnic,religious, and economic tensions that may now

motivate terrorist actions. Even the very nature ofterrorism itself is changing. Most recent discussionsof terrorism have focused on the identity of theterrorists, their possible motivations, and theincreasingly destructive potential of the weapons attheir disposal.

An examination of terrorism and the issues caused tothe environment requires understandingmotivations, identifying vulnerabilities and risks,and working on effective solutions. At a time whenpopulations all over the world are increasing, theexisting resource base (water, energy, soils, and

more) is being stretched to provide for more people,and is being consumed at a faster rate. As the value


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Terrorism and EnvironmentalIssues

Terrorism, as defined by the Federal Bureau ofInvestigation (FBI), is "the unlawful use of force orviolence against persons or property to intimidateor coerce a government, the civilian population, orany segment thereof, in furtherance of political or

social objectives." The destruction inherent in any act of mass terrorism

inevitably causes secondary environmentalpollution effects, many of them serious. Acts ofterrorism can also be directed against theenvironment itself, or specific natural resources

such as freshwater, oil, or agricultural products. The secondary environmental effects of terrorism can

often be as significant as its primary effects. Theattack on the World Trade Center (WTC) in New YorkCity on September 11, 2001, had negative healthconsequences beyond the staggering loss of life.

The collapse of the structures and subsequent firesspewed an enormous cloud of dust and toxins into


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I

O

ETPC

OA

GE

I = IndividualCharacteristics

O =OrganizationalCharacteristics

PC = PrecipitantConditions

ET =EnvironmentalTriggers

OA =Opportunities toAct

E = GlobalEnvironment

Causes and Facilitators of Terrorism


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Terrorism as Process

The phenomenon of terrorism can be seen ascomprising human elements(supporters andhard core terrorists) and ideological elements.

To the degree that terrorism is viewed as a

process, the phenomenon is similar to apipeline or factory assembly line with keystations along the way. The process includesideological outreach, acquisition of fundingand support, recruitment, organization,indoctrination, training, planning, targeting,attack, exploitation of results, financialrewards and other factors which lead toproduction of terrorist acts.

Any such proposed anti-terrorism model wouldbe adapted for specific terrorist groups, since

such groups may operate differently.


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Perspectives of Terrorism

There are three perspectives of terrorism: theterrorists, the victims, and the general publics.

The phrase one mans terrorist is another mansfreedom fighter is a view terrorists themselveswould accept. Terrorists do not see themselves as

evil. They believe they are legitimate combatants,fighting for what they believe in, by whatevermeans possible. A victim of a terrorist act sees theterrorist as a criminal with no regard for human life.

The general publics view is the most unstable. Theterrorists take great pains to foster a Robin Hoodimage in hope of swaying the general publics pointof view toward their cause. This sympathetic view ofterrorism has become an integral part of theirpsychological warfare and needs to be counteredvigorously.

So are these three perspectives implied while

considering the environmental issues caused due tothe acts of terrorism.


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Impact of Terrorism onEnvironment

Terrorism is inherently destructive ofsustainable development. States shalltherefore respect international law

providing protection for theenvironment in times of armedconflict and cooperate in its furtherdevelopment, as necessary.

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Impact of Terrorism onEnvironment

The many environmental impacts ofhostility include the infrastructurenecessary for the preparation for war,

including training grounds, camps,barracks, weapons testing etc. However,the immediate impacts of war, and ofterrorism, are usually sudden and

dramatic, and can be eitherv Directv Indirect.


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Direct Impacts

The immediate and direct impacts of warand terrorism are obvious. The effects onlandscapes can be as devastating asearthquakes or volcanic eruptions as

buildings collapse and craters develop.For example, many European cities weresubstantially altered by bombing raidsduring World War II.

Direct impacts include bomb and blastdamage to settlements, rural areas andcommunication networks. Defoliation andecosystem destruction, the dumping of

the machinery of war and the destructionof resources such as oil fields also occur.


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Indirect Impacts

Indirect impacts are many and varied and areoften longer-lasting than the direct impacts.

They include the construction of variouscamps such as refugee camps, and thedistortion of population composition as young

males join the conflict; in countries whereagriculture is a major activity this may resultin land abandonment and degradation mayensue. Other indirect impacts include loss ofwildlife as animals are hunted for bush meat.Particularly long-lasting effects include theuse of land for war graves, war memorialsand museums. Along with battlefieldsthemselves these reminders of conflicts have,in many nations, become the focus of thetourist industry and thus a source of wealth

generation.


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Environmental Terrorism

Environmental terrorism is the unlawful destructionof resources in order to deprive others of its use.

The term also refers to the unnecessary destructionof the environment for personal gain.

Environmental destruction or the threat thereof can be

labeled `terrorism' when: (1) the act or threat breaches national and/or

international laws governing the disruption of theenvironment during peacetime or wartime; and

(2) the act or threat exhibits the fundamentalcharacteristics of terrorism (i.e. the act or threat of

violence has specific objectives, and the violenceis aimed at a symbolic target).

An act of environmental destruction can be termed`environmental terrorism' only when the two lattercriteria are met, andwhen the environment is usedby the perpetrator as an authentic symbol that

instills fear in the larger population over theecological consequences of the act.

S f th l t i


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Some of the prevalent issueson environment due to

Terrorism The September 11 attacks:The attack on the World Trade Center (WTC)

in New York City on September 11, 2001,had negative health consequences

beyond the staggering loss of life. Thecollapse of the structures and subsequentfires spewed an enormous cloud of dustand toxins into the air over the city. Whileinitial concern was for victims, their

families, and for rescue workers, it did nottake long before environmental healthconcerns arose in New York City. Anotherearly concern was about where runoffgenerated by water from fire hoses was

going. Since Manhattenis an island, itseemed lo ical that waterborne


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India a favorite dumping groundfor e-waste

India is becoming the developed nations'favourite dumping ground as theydump over 50,000 tonnes of e-waste,including old PC's, mobiles andtelevision sets. The desert state too

gets its share, with close to 40,000discarded PC's making their way to thescrap market.

The recent incident of radiation in WestDelhis Mayapuri Industrial area may

have raised alarm bells on the dangerposed by the unplanned dumping of e-waste. But the import of suchhazardous material continuesunabated in the country. The figures

obtained from one major port alone,from April 2009 to December 2009,


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A New Cold War of Terror to theEnvironment: Genetically Modified Foods

GM cotton permit blasted as`terrorism'. (India).

Its a Piracy, Hijack and Theft

-Dr. VandanaSiva

Various developed countries andmajor industrial organizations

are entering the food market ofIndia with the GM crops which inturn adversely affects theenvironment and health aspectswhich is now a severe cause of

concern while analysing the


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New dimensions of Terrorismattacking Environment

Ecoterrorism

Ecoterrorism is a recently coined termdescribing violence in the interests

of environmentalism. In general,environmental extremists sabotageproperty to inflict economic damageon industries or actors they see as

harming animals or the naturalenviroment. Thes have included furcompanies, logging companies andanimal research laboratories, for

example.
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Continued..

Nuclear terrorism

"Nuclear terrorism" refers to anumber of different ways nuclear

materials might be exploited as aterrorist tactic. These includeattacking nuclear facilities,purchasing nuclear weapons, or

building nuclear weapons orotherwise finding ways to disperseradioactive materials. Thiscontributes to the devastating

environmental destruction of a
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Continued

Narcoterrorism

Narcoterrorism has had severalmeanings since its coining in 1983.

It once denoted violence used bydrug traffickers to influencegovernments or preventgovernment efforts to stop the drug

trade. In the last several years,narcoterrorism has been used toindicate situations in which terroristgroups use drug trafficking to fund

their other operations


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Continued

Bioterrorism Bioterrorism refers to the intentional release

of toxic biological agents to harm andterrorize civilians, in the name of a

political or other cause.The U.S. Center forDisease Control has classified the viruses,bacteria and toxins that could be used inan attack. Category A Biological Diseasesare those most likely to do the mostdamage. They include:

Anthrax (Bacillus anthracis) Botulism (Clostridium botulinum toxin) The Plague (Yersinia pestis) Smallpox (Variola major) Tularemia (Francisella tularensis)

Hemorrahagic fever, due to Ebola Virus orMarburg Virus
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The Real Call for SustainableDevelopment

Terrorism experts have opined that in the last decade, the natureof terrorism has changed from professional, politically-motivated acts to amateur acts motivated by any number ofgrievances: religious, social, political, or personal. There arewell known ambiguities in defining terrorism and specificallyenvironmental terrorism. Yet there are also real risks facinggovernments and the public and that an effort must be made to

better understand these risks and appropriate responses. Anexamination of environmental terrorism adds a new dimensionto these definitions, identifying the target as a natural resourceor environmental feature. At a time when populations all overthe world are increasing, the existing resource base is beingstretched to provide for more people, and is being consumed ata faster rate. As the value and vulnerability of these resources

increases, so does their attractiveness as terrorist targets. Thedestruction of a natural resource can now cause more deaths,property damage, political chaos, and other adverse effectsthan it would have in any previous decade.

It must be recognized that, over time, unsustainable developmentis in no one's best interest. Fighting a successful war onterrorism ultimately means we must first win the battle againstunsustainable development and thus protect the environmentfrom the degradation caused due to the problems of the same.


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Defining Sustainability Sustainable Development is often an over-used word, but

goes to the heart of tackling a number of inter-relatedglobal issues such as poverty, inequality, hunger andenvironmental degradation. Sustainable Developmentstands for meeting the needs of present generationswithout jeopardizing the ability of futures generations tomeet their own needs in other words, a better quality of

life for everyone, now and for generations to come. Itoffers a vision of progress that integrates immediate andlonger-term objectives, local and global action, andregards social, economic and environmental issues asinseparable and interdependent components of human

progress.


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"Sustainable development" is an innovativeand powerful concept with considerableunifying power for internationaldevelopment. Sustainable development

grew out of the profound, and as yetunresolved, crisis concerning existingdevelopment paradigms. The crisis isparticularly acute concerning the failure of

existing models of development to offereffective and lasting solutions torecurrent--and worsening--problems ofworld poverty, environmentaldegradation, and the inability of most

developing countries to achieve parity

Strategies of Sustainable


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Strategies of SustainableDevelopment through Social

Work Practiceevels of Sustainable Development Practice , ,ajor Pu rp oses Ou tcom es or Proc es ses As soci ate d

ithevels of Sustainable Development Practice

-ndi vi dual a nd Grou p Empo we r me nt " ,"Through conscientization the process whereby individualslearn how to perceive and act upon the contradictions that

, ,exist in the social political and economic structuresintrinsic to all societies

onflict Resolution : ( )Efforts directed at reducing 1 grievances between persons; , ( )or groups or 2 asymmetric power relationships between

members of more powerful and less powerful groups

-ommunity Building " "Through increased participation and social animation of the,populace the process through which community's realize the, , ;fullness of their social political and economic potential

the process through which communities respond more equitablyto the social and material needs of their populations-nstitution Building " "Refers both to the process of humanizing existing social

institutions and that of establishing new institutions thatrespond more effectively to new or emerging social needs

-ation Building The process of working toward the integration of a nation's, ,social economic and cultural institutions at all levels of

political organization-egion Building The process of working toward the integration of a region's

, ,social economic cultural institutions at all levels ofpolitical organization-orld Building The process of working toward the establishment of a new

, , ,system of international social political economic and,ecological relationships guided by the quest for world peace

,increased social justice the universal satisfaction of basic,human needs and for the protection of the planet's fragile

-eco system


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Conclusion

Terrorism have left an extensive legacy onlandscapes throughout the world. Theenvironmental repercussions of war andterrorism are varied, including bomb damage,altered urban and rural environments, depletedforests and wildlife, cemeteries, museums andmemorials. Despite their poignancy, thedestruction of conflict continues today as warsrage in dozens of countries and as the worldattempts to combat the ever-growing threat of

terrorism. The geography of war and terrorismis extensive and emotive; few environments incertain nations are immune to its varied andsubstantial impact, yet there is no referencework which provides a comprehensive accountof this important and provocative subject.


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References

A New Vigilance: Identifying and Reducing theRisks of Environmental Terrorism

Elizabeth L. Chalecki

Combating Terrorism: The Challenge ofMeasuring Effectiveness

Raphael Perl, Specialist in International Affairs,Foreign Affairs, Defense, and Trade Division

Environment and Terrorism:A Message Peter H. Gleick, President , Pacific Institute

Transnational Social Work Practice By Nalini Junko Negi, Rich Furman

TOWARD SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT: FromTheory to Praxis

Richard J. Estes -University of Pennsylvania (School ofSocial Work)


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Documents

Environmental Issues and Terrorism