Human communities are dependent on fundamental environmental services such as the air we breathe, the water we drink, the soils we use to grow our food, the seas we fish in, and the materials we use to construct our homes. Environmental security is a fundamental to human security.
Nevertheless, the capacity of ecosystems to deliver these vital ecosystem goods and services is being eroded at an alarming rate due to unsustainableconsumption and energy demand; conversion of land for industry, agriculture and urban development; inequitable access to natural resources; excessive exploitation of the seas; and the spread of alien invasive species. The loss of life and property from natural disasters can also often be linked to mismanagement of the environment.
Examples of issues being discussed in this stream include:
- The impact of over-use of natural resources on human health, security, cultures and equity;
- Lessons learned from different parts of the world on how land and seascapes can be sustainably managed to meet the needs of growing populations and improve human security.
