Global Resources And International Conflict

This book is a compilation of 10 papers that discuss the influence of global deficiencies and degradation of natural resources on international conflict. The papers cover a variety of topics, including the effect of geographical distribution, availability, scarcity, and depletion of resources on strategic and military policy-making. The book also discusses the effect of differential population growth on the availability of resources and presents an expanded, environmentally based view of international security.

This volume examines the extent to which global deficiencies and degradation of natural resources, coupled with their uneven distribution, can lead to unlikely alliances, national rivalries, and even war. The study evaluates the influence of such factors as geographical distribution, availability, scarcity, and depletion of the world's natural resources--including oil, natural gas, minerals, fresh water, ocean fisheries, and food crops--on strategic and military policy-making. Westing also studies the effect of differential population growth on the actual and perceived availability of resources and presents an expanded, environmentally based view of international security. Review: 'This book is a useful collection of papers giving detailed information on more recent international (and some intranational) conflicts over resources.' Third World Quarterly 'This book is a useful collection of papers giving detailed information on more recent international (and some intranational) conflict over resources.' Third World Quarterly 'the articles are on the whole perceptive, reasonably tight, and short, and they appear to be reliable surveys of the fields they investigate' Holmes Rolston, III, Colorado State University, Conservation Biiology 'Written by 10 prestigious and knowledgeable authorities, this compilation of 10 excellent papers furnishes a broad overview of environmental factors in strategic policy and action ... should be in the hands of national leaders concerned with the preservation of peace.' Ricardo C. Galang, International Journal on World Peace