Establishing an Ecological Security Framework for Southeast Asia

The document argues that while 'ecological security' is not yet widely recognized in Southeast Asia, it is essential for addressing interconnected threats like the Mekong polycrisis, green transition externalities, and environmental crimes. It highlights the tension between security services and civil society, the influence of US-China competition on resource extraction and infrastructure, and the need for a holistic framework that bridges the gap between political-security and environmental specialists.

• The concept of 'ecological security' is largely unfamiliar to Southeast Asian policymakers, who instead rely on established terms like 'human security,' 'comprehensive security,' and 'non-traditional security.'
• Government efforts to address ecological security are hindered by bureaucratic silos in portfolios such as energy, investment, and transportation, as seen in the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP) processes in Indonesia and Vietnam.
• There is significant distrust between regional security services and civil society, exacerbated by the arrest and harassment of environmental advocates whose work conflicts with government economic priorities.
• US-China geopolitical competition impacts ecological security through differing approaches to critical mineral extraction and infrastructure in the Mekong subregion, where China's dams control downstream water flows.
• The Mekong ecosystem is experiencing a 'polycrisis' driven by dams, sandmining, and sea-level rise, which is further complicated by Cambodia's plan to build a canal that could divert water from Vietnam's Mekong Delta.
• The accelerated green transition in the region is creating unanticipated externalities, including labor violations in Indonesia's extractive industries and potential sub-state conflicts over land rights.
• Environmental crimes, including illegal fishing and wildlife trafficking, are linked to armed criminal networks and increase the risk of zoonotic spillover as wild ecosystems are diminished.

APA

The Council on Strategic Risks (2024). Establishing an Ecological Security Framework for Southeast Asia. https://councilonstrategicrisks.org/2024/12/10/establishing-an-ecological-security-framework-for-southeast-asia/

Chicago

The Council on Strategic Risks. Establishing an Ecological Security Framework for Southeast Asia. 2024. https://councilonstrategicrisks.org/2024/12/10/establishing-an-ecological-security-framework-for-southeast-asia/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=The Council on Strategic Risks |title=Establishing an Ecological Security Framework for Southeast Asia |date=10 December 2024 |url=https://councilonstrategicrisks.org/2024/12/10/establishing-an-ecological-security-framework-for-southeast-asia/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{thecouncilonstrategicrisks2024establishing, author = {{The Council on Strategic Risks}}, title = {{Establishing an Ecological Security Framework for Southeast Asia}}, institution = {The Council on Strategic Risks}, year = {2024}, month = dec, url = {https://councilonstrategicrisks.org/2024/12/10/establishing-an-ecological-security-framework-for-southeast-asia/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }