Environmental Change and the New Security Agenda

The report argues that environmental change acts as a 'threat multiplier' for Canadian security, particularly through the opening of Arctic shipping routes and the scramble for newly accessible oil and gas reserves. It highlights tensions with Denmark over Hans Island and the U.S. over the Northwest Passage. Internationally, it notes that climate-induced migration and resource conflicts increase the burden on Canadian peacekeeping and aid. Conversely, the report asserts that Canada's 'new security agenda'—focused on counter-terrorism and energy independence—often competes with environmental management, as seen in the push for oil sands development and the proposed militarization of the Great Lakes.

• Global environmental change is creating a 'geopolitics of scarcity' regarding land, food, water, and energy, which increases the likelihood of violent conflict.
• Arctic warming is reducing sea ice, potentially making the Northwest Passage a commercially viable navigation channel within 20 years and increasing international interest in the region.
• Climate change is enabling a 'gold rush' for untapped Arctic oil and gas reserves, leading to competing territorial claims by Canada, Russia, the U.S., Denmark, and Norway.
• Canada and Denmark have a long-standing dispute over Hans Island, where the value of the territory is tied to the associated exclusive economic zones (EEZs) and marine resources.
• Environmental degradation and climate change are projected to displace up to 200 million people over the next 50 years, potentially increasing immigration pressures and security risks in Canada.
• Canadian peacekeeping missions in countries like Haiti, Sierra Leone, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo have been linked to conflicts driven by environmental degradation or resource scarcity.
• The 'new security agenda' focused on counter-terrorism has shifted federal priorities and budgets, often sidelining environmental management in favor of intelligence and border security.
• The U.S. pursuit of energy security has pressured Canada to increase oil sands production, which represents the largest single addition to Canada's greenhouse gas emissions.
• Increased border security measures have occasionally threatened environmental safety, such as a 2004 U.S. Coast Guard proposal to create live-fire zones on the Great Lakes, which was eventually dropped.

APA

Brown, O., Crawford, A., & Campeau, C. (2008). Environmental Change and the New Security Agenda. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/env_change_security_canada.pdf

Chicago

Brown, Oli, Alec Crawford, and Christine Campeau. Environmental Change and the New Security Agenda. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2008. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/env_change_security_canada.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Brown |first1=Oli |last2=Crawford |first2=Alec |last3=Campeau |first3=Christine |title=Environmental Change and the New Security Agenda |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=June 2008 |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/env_change_security_canada.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{brown2008environmental, author = {Brown, Oli and Crawford, Alec and Campeau, Christine}, title = {{Environmental Change and the New Security Agenda}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2008}, month = jun, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/env_change_security_canada.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }