Pacific Asia faces environmental challenges ranging from pollution and rapid population growth to increasing water, energy and food scarcity. To what extent will these issues shape the regional security agenda? This paper argues that, in themselves, environmental difficulties are unlikely to be the primary cause of major conflict between states. Nonetheless, Pacific Asia suffers from many tensions that have environmental origins. Environmental issues interact with other sources of conflict to prolong or complicate existing disputes. Governments in the region must take steps to address environmental issues. At the national level, they must integrate the environment into national-security planning. Regionally, governments must cooperate more closely in finding solutions to problems that concern them all.

Adelphi Paper 319.

Introduction--Ch. 1 Polution and Conflict--Ch. 2 Population and Conflict--Ch. 3 Energy Scarcity--Ch. 4 Food Scarcity--Ch. 5 Water Scarcity--Conclusion.