People's Education Press High School Geography: Elective Compulsory Course III: Environmental Security

Imagine a nation as a grand edifice, andenvironmental security (ecological security)it is the invisible foundation supporting the entire structure. It does not demand a spotless environment, but rather emphasizes that environmental damage and threats must remain within the range human society can tolerate.

Core Mechanism: From Natural Issues to Security Threats

When environmental changes exceedthreshold (Threshold), what was once natural fluctuation transforms into a 'non-traditional security threat'.

Survival Guarantee: As a resource carrier, the environment directly determines the material ceiling for national development.
Conflict Trigger: Resource shortages (e.g., water disputes) or large-scale environmental degradation can lead to social unrest, even threatening national sovereignty.

Dual Pathways to Reduce Risk (Fig 3.5)

Maintaining environmental security is not just about 'pollution control.' It involves two parallel strategies:
① Root Cause Mitigation (Mitigation): Reducing the severity of environmental issues (e.g., minimizing pollution discharge, ecological restoration).
② Symptom Management (Adaptation): Reducing the likelihood of harm to human society (e.g., strengthening disaster-resilient infrastructure, relocating populations from high-risk areas).

QUESTION 1

Based on Figure 3.2’s diagram of environmental security thresholds, briefly describe how the logic of impact on national security shifts when environmental issues transition from 'safe' to 'unsafe' states.

From localized natural phenomena to systemic security threats undermining the nation's material foundation.

The environmental system will automatically restore balance through feedback mechanisms, with no political implications.

The focus of national security will shift from non-traditional security domains to military defense.

QUESTION 2

Based on Figure 3.5’s pathways to reduce environmental security risks, what are the limitations of a strategy that focuses solely on ecological restoration while neglecting the reduction of societal vulnerability?

It can completely eliminate environmental risks and is the only long-term solution.

In the face of global or irreversible sudden environmental crises, society remains highly vulnerable with little room for maneuver.

It increases the marginal cost of environmental restoration, leading to economic decline.

QUESTION 3

Which of the following cases best illustrates the role of environmental security as the 'underlying logic' of national security?

A country experiencing military confrontation due to border territorial disputes.

Building dams upstream on transboundary rivers causing prolonged water shortages downstream, triggering severe social unrest and diplomatic friction.

Tariff barriers in international trade affect companies' export profits.

QUESTION 4

In academic and policy contexts, 'ecological security' and 'environmental security' are typically considered equivalent concepts.

Correct

Incorrect

QUESTION 5

What is the most direct consequence of the 'fishbone' deforestation pattern in Rondônia, Brazil?

Due to land clearing for farmland, the region's economic security level has significantly improved.

It leads to the loss of forest regulatory functions, pushing the environmental state close to or beyond the unsafe threshold.

It improves local transportation networks, helping strengthen national border security.