Global responses to global threats: sustainable security for the twenty-first century

Since the events of September 11, 2001 and the development of the ‘war on terror’, western powers have cited international terrorism as the greatest threat facing the world. This has diverted attention and resources from other, more serious, likely causes of future conflict. The root causes of global insecurity must be addressed.

A publication fromthe Oxford Research Group, in the UK, challenges the idea that the ‘war onterror’ must be prioritised over all other global challenges. Current responsesto terrorism may actually provoke rather than contain it. The authors identifyfour challenges more deserving of international attention: climate change; competitionover resources; socio-economic marginalisation of the majority world; andglobal militarisation.

Climate change islikely to lead to the displacement of peoples from coastline and river deltaareas, severe natural disasters, and increasing food shortages. This would leadto increased human suffering, social unrest, and greatly increased migration,with long-term security implications for all countries. States are increasinglydependent on imported resources, especially the oil and gas that are a primarycause of climate change. Supplies are concentrated in the deeply unstablePersian Gulf, where the United States is heavily involved, militarily andpolitically.

Disparities of wealthand power are deepening, both within countries and between different regions ofthe world, fueling political violence and repression. Yet current trade and aidarrangements do little to address global economic inequalities. Further, farfrom ‘keeping the peace’, constant growth in global military expenditure is contributingto fresh conflicts. New weapons, such as biological warfare systems and‘mini-nukes’, are destabilising arms-control regimes and placing more deadlycapabilities within reach of terrorists.

Key elements of asustainable response should include:

• comprehensive energy efficiency, recycling andresource conservation and management, and rapid replacement of carbon-basedenergy sources by diversified local renewable energy sources
• thephasing out of civil nuclear weapons programmes
• reformof global systems of trade, aid and debt relief to prioritise poverty reduction
• addressingthe legitimate grievances and aspirations of marginalised groups, withintelligence-led police operations against violent revolutionary groups anddialogue where possible
• alongside non-proliferation measures by nuclear weaponsstates, significant, visible steps towards disarmament while haltingdevelopment of new nuclear weapons and bio-weapons.

Together theseconstitute efforts to address the root causes of problems. The authors label thisthe ‘sustainable security paradigm’, as opposed to the ‘control paradigm’ thatseeks to control symptoms by use of force. The authors conclude that:

• non-governmentalorganisations and wider civil society (including journalists) need tocoordinate to convince governments that the new approach is practical andeffective
• newfuture leadership in the United States and the United Kingdom may be moreresponsive to this paradigm
• genuinereform of regional organisations and the United Nations, particularly the SecurityCouncil, may also help governments move beyond narrow national and economicinterests
• energy and resources now devoted to opposing war (anti-waractivities) could be harnessed to promote peace and security (pro-peace), andlinked with anti-poverty and environmental movements.