Sat Apr 12 09:26:57 UTC 2025: ## Ecological Disruptions Pose Significant National Security Threats, Experts Warn

**Washington, D.C. – April 12, 2025** – A new report from leading experts highlights the growing threat to national security posed by ecological disruptions, arguing that environmental degradation is not merely a humanitarian concern but a significant factor in global instability. The report, published in *The Conversation*, emphasizes the interconnectedness of environmental health and national security, citing various examples of how resource depletion and ecological crises fuel conflict and instability.

Overfishing, the report states, is a major source of international conflict, pointing to the “Cod Wars” between Britain and Iceland as a historical precedent. The authors warn that China’s aggressive fishing practices in the South China Sea and elsewhere are creating tensions with other nations and depleting fish stocks globally. Joint naval patrols and even the destruction of illegal fishing vessels have become necessary responses.

The report also underscores the critical link between zoonotic diseases and national security. The COVID-19 pandemic, likely originating from a wildlife market, serves as a stark example of how the exploitation of wildlife can trigger global crises impacting not only public health but also global markets, supply chains, and political stability. Other zoonotic diseases like Ebola and Zika have similarly caused international turmoil.

Illegal wildlife trade and deforestation, valued at hundreds of billions of dollars annually, are further exacerbating the problem. These activities provide significant funding for terrorist groups, as demonstrated by the financing of Al-Shabaab operations in Somalia through charcoal production from illegally logged trees.

The authors, Bradley J. Cardinale (Penn State), Emmett Duffy (Smithsonian Institution), and Rod Schoonover (Georgetown University), conclude that national security strategies must account for ecological factors. They argue that maintaining healthy ecosystems and sustainable access to resources are just as critical to national security as military strength and physical infrastructure. The report calls for increased attention to environmental protection as a vital component of national security planning.

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