Environmental security notions have evolved over the past 30 years. Once a sub-field of Security and Peace Studies focusing on how environmental issues correlate with modern security theories and policies, the concept is rapidly merging environmental and security sectors. Former Greek Naval Officer in the Hellenic Navy and current environmental security scholar Dimitrios Kantemnidis’ expertise sits at the center of the two merging fields. His military background informs perspectives on growing environmental security risks and potential responses for civilian and military actors.
As a career Naval Officer, Kantemnidis became well versed in how environmental phenomena can impact the success of military operations. He also witnessed the significant environmental damage military exercises can cause through mass consumption of fossil fuel, anti-submarine exercises, and weapons testing. Today, Kantemnidis researches the integration of environmental security by EU actors as a Fellow of the European Doctoral School at the European curity and Defense College and a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Environment at Aegean University. In a recent interview Kantemnidis shared these reflections on environment and security developments in the European Union and NATO.
