Answer the following questions in about 150 words each : (c) Explain the non-traditional security threats in the context of food and environmental crises.

Non-Traditional Security Threats in Food and Environmental Crises

Non-traditional security threats manifest through food and environmental crises in various interconnected ways, posing significant challenges to global stability and human security.

I. Food Security as a Non-Traditional Threat

Food insecurity, defined by the FAO as a lack of consistent access to adequate food, is a potent non-traditional security threat due to its far-reaching consequences:

• Climate Change Impacts: Extreme weather events (droughts, floods, unseasonal rains), rising temperatures, and altered precipitation patterns disrupt agricultural productivity, leading to crop failures and reduced yields. For instance, a 2.5-4.9°C temperature increase could decrease wheat yield by 41-52% and rice by 32-40% in India.
• Water Scarcity: Depleting groundwater levels and pollution of water sources reduce irrigation capacity, severely impacting food production. The Indus Basin, for example, faces severe water stress.
• Soil Degradation: Intensive farming, erosion, and nutrient loss diminish soil fertility, making food production unsustainable in the long run.
• Pest and Disease Outbreaks: Climate change facilitates the spread of pests and diseases, devastating crops and livestock, as seen with locust swarms in East Africa in 2020.
• Economic Volatility: Fluctuations in global food prices, often triggered by supply shocks or trade restrictions, affect affordability and access, potentially leading to social unrest and political instability. The 2007-2008 global food price crisis sparked riots in several countries.
• Conflict and Displacement: Food shortages can exacerbate existing conflicts or ignite new ones over dwindling resources, leading to mass displacement and humanitarian crises. Conflict was the primary driver of acute food insecurity for 135 million people in 20 countries in 2023 (Global Report on Food Crises 2024).

II. Environmental Crises as Non-Traditional Threats

Environmental degradation directly undermines human security and stability, often intersecting with food security issues:

• Resource Scarcity: Depletion of vital resources like fresh water, arable land, and forests due to overuse, pollution, and climate change creates competition and potential for conflict, both within and between states.
• Climate-Induced Disasters: Increased frequency and intensity of floods, droughts, storms, and wildfires cause widespread destruction, displace populations, destroy livelihoods, and strain state capacity to respond. Weather-related crises have triggered more than twice as much displacement as conflict in the last decade (UN Refugee Agency).
• Biodiversity Loss: The decline in biodiversity weakens ecosystem resilience, compromising natural systems that are crucial for food production and overall human well-being.
• Pollution and Waste: Air, water, and soil pollution directly harm human health, reduce agricultural productivity, and degrade ecosystems, leading to long-term economic and social costs.
• Transboundary Nature: Environmental problems like air pollution, river pollution, and climate change do not respect national borders, requiring international cooperation but also creating potential for diplomatic tensions.

The synergy between food and environmental crises creates a 'threat multiplier' effect, where environmental degradation exacerbates food insecurity, leading to humanitarian crises, mass migration, social unrest, and even interstate tensions.