Over the last few decades, the global security setting has undergone a vast change with the emergence of new threats. Challenges such as the devastating environmental shocks of climate change and its impact on food, water and energy resources, which in turn has implications on the economy of nations, migration, threat of pandemic diseases that cut across political boundaries, transnational crime, regional and global financial crises were recognised as critical issues with repercussions on national, regional and global security having immediate and long term impacts. Given their potential to exacerbate existing tensions, they have the potential to contribute to traditional security threats. Hence, a blurring of the lines between what constitutes traditional security issues as represented by military concepts and those that are non-military by definition. With emerging challenges to the very survival and well-being of people, groups and states have taken place. Non-traditional security issues are being perceived as critical to national and global security as are war and armed conflict; WMD proliferation and arms race and are being accorded increasing prominence on the policy and research agendas of governments, NGOs, academicians as well as business and international organisations. They are often transnational in scope, defy unilateral remedies and require comprehensive political, economic and social responses.
The Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses’ (IDSA) 14th Asian Security Conference will address the above issues in their political, social and economic dimensions. The sessions are:
I. Traditional Vs Non-Traditional Security Issues: Conceptual Framework
II. Climate Change and Natural Disasters
III. Water Security
IV. Energy Security
V. Trans-national Crime
VI. Financial and Economic Security
I. Traditional Vs Non-Traditional Security Issues: Conceptual Framework
The following sub-themes have been identified wherein experts will debate and discuss issues in these emerging security challenges in the non-traditional security area
- What constitutes Non-Traditional Threats?
- How different are they from the traditional challenges?
- How should they be addressed?
- Should the approach templates be different and if so how?
- Will these new threats evolve into a traditional conventional nature?
II. Water Security
Through the centuries, the mighty rivers have sustained the lives and livelihood of people in Asia. Mighty rivers like the Yangtze, Tigris, Euphrates, Indus, Ganges, Brahmaputra, Irrawady, Salween, Mekong, Amu Darya and Syr Darya flow through different countries making riparian relations equally conflicting and converging. The combined effects of global warming and weather patterns are expected to lead to set of global warming and weather patters are expected to lead to a set of interconnected calamities. Asia will be particularly vulnerable due to the “exponential function” of rapidly increasing population, growing food demand and dependency on water for irrigation and energy. With the increasing importance of transboundary rivers, hydro-diplomacy can be seen as a new framework for regional cooperation, with opportunities for dialogue, consultation and data-sharing both between and within states. On the other hand, control of water can also lead to hydro-hegemony and dominance. The session will explore the following questions:
- What are the dynamics of upstream-downstream rivalry?
- Can upstream riparian assert hydro-hegemony?
- How can a comprehensive transboundary river water dialogue be structured?
III. Climate Change and Natural Disasters
Over the last decade, climate change has emerged from scientific or academic ivory towers and is now being accepted as the single greatest challenge related to human security, energy, economics, health and safety, food production and other security issues. Besides, the vulnerability to disasters from both natural and man-made has increased considerably all over the world. Due to rapid climate change, earthquakes and forest fires, tsunamis, oil spills, droughts or hurricanes, with accompanying devastation to both human life and infrastructure, disastrous catastrophes are a recurring phenomenon having direct impact on the economies of nations. Moreover, rapid urbanization along with population growth over the world has increased risks from hazardous industrial accidents, leakages of radio-active material and outbreak of pandemics. Despite nations taking cognizance of such disasters, the making of effective disaster management policies which encompass relief, prompt response measures as well as prevention of the same have been slow and require urgent planning and implementation. The session will attempt to answer the following questions:
- What are the climate-induced drivers of conflict and security?
- What factors has contributed to the escalation of natural disasters?
- In climate diplomacy and negotiations, what will the future of the climate change regime be?
- Are the nations prepared for the emerging challenges arising out of natural disasters?
- Is there any collective response at the regional level and what needs to be done in securing the nations?
IV. Energy and Food Security
Energy Security
Over the past few years, the world has been rocked by a series of international and regional events that challenge nations’ energy security. The earthquake/tsunami in Japan and its resultant impact on the Fukushima power complex, the popular protests in the Middle East-North African region which have seen several well entrenched regimes being toppled; oil spills in the Gulf of Mexico; lack of timely investment in supply augmentation and massive growth in demand in developing countries along with the threat of resource nationalism have all increased concerns about the long-term security of supply for energy-importing states dependent on volatile energy-producing states. Without adequate and affordable supplies of energy resources, the economic growth of nations will be affected; it will also impede attempts to re-emerge quickly from the recent economic recession. It is therefore imperative that long-lasting solutions, including access to new and emerging technology across the board, are sought and implemented, be it individually or collectively to address the current challenges in the global energy sector. The session will examine to explore the answers of the following questions:
- What are the new and emerging challenges in energy security, particularly with reference to the Asian countries?
- Can technology resolve energy dilemma or will it throw up new challenges/competition for resources/RE technology?
- How can Asian countries cooperate in ensuring energy security for the region?
Food security
In the face of climate change, rapid increasing populations, water scarcity, soil erosion and the search for energy independence which is converting land hitherto used for the production of food grains to growing fuels are increasing the stresses on the global food system. Though there have been some rather exceptional success stories in Asia and the Asian experience is held up as an example of food security progress from which other regions can gain lessons, some pervasive conditions of under-nourishment continue to plague individuals and communities in pockets throughout the region. Unless governments urgently shift expenditures from military uses to tackling climate change, increasing water efficiency and soil conservation, and population stabilization measures; the world will in all likelihood be facing a future with greater food instability and price volatility. The session will focus on the following question:
- Is food instability a threat to security in Asia?
- What are the determining factors of food insecurity vis-à-vis economic instability?
- Is a multilateral approach viable to address food security issues?
- How should the Asian nations address the challenges of food security?
V. Trans-national Crime
Prior to the Cold War, transnational crime was not considered a threat to national security and was seen largely as a law and order problem. However, current trends indicate that transnational crime has undergone transformation. Globalization and its associated processes of connectivity have resulted in significant changes in the business of transnational crime with criminal syndicates adopting more sophisticated methods in conducting their illicit activities, which comprises of money laundering, drug trafficking, illegal migration, international terrorism, piracy and smuggling. Today, no country is exempted from the threat of transnational crimes and it is posing a serious threat to national and international security and stability, challenging the authority of states by undermining development and victimizing the entire population. The session will focus on the following questions:
- Has globalization impacted on the transformation in the nature of transnational crimes?
- What are the impacts of the transnational crimes on regional and national security?
- Is an inclusive policy to facilitate involvement of all the stakeholders/key actors in curbing transnational crimes essential?
- How a cooperative approach by the Asian Countries will facilitate in addressing the transnational issues?
VI. Financial and Economic Security
The advent of globalization has ushered in global inter-dependence where all major powers and their economies are integrated as never before. Unlike the past, every major economy today is dependent on economic and political engagement with the outside world for its continued development and prosperity. However, individual nations may have very different priorities such as; what regulations are needed to monitor and stabilise the current Western-dominated financial system and what is the role of global institutions in creating these regulations? Given that, it is mainly the Asian economies that are increasingly seen as invaluable for sustaining global economic growth, and for the management of regional and global economic and security challenges. The current global climate presents an opportunity for Asian nations to work together with the rest of the world and have a greater say in institutions like the IMF and the World Bank. Therefore, time has also come for forums such as the G20 economies to play a greater role rather than mere exclusive groupings like the G8, whose share of the world economy is in decline. The questions for the session are:
- Is it time for the old order to pass the baton to emerging nations? (G8 vs G20; Asian leadership for FIIs)
- How can the global financial system prevent new crises from occurring?
- How can a new and more just roadmap for a new global financial order/system be ushered in?
