The Environment and Security in Asia

The Congressional Research Service (CRS) requested that the Capstone team provide critical information and analysis to members of Congress in order to guide U.S. environment and security policy in the Asia region and beyond. The team collected and aggregated research and analysis on the major environmental issues and their corresponding drivers affecting five regions across Asia and the south Pacific. After a survey of all conflict situations across the regions, the team analyzed specific cases within each sub-region, focusing on the intersection between three major components of each conflict: existing and potential human security dynamics, environmental issues and their drivers, and the governmental and non-governmental actors involved. The causal, compounding, and intervening relationships between the three major components of each case are analyzed and presented through graphic models and case reports. Cases with similar environmental or security characteristics across all sub-regions are also considered in comparison and contrast to the specific cases.