Environmental Security
The Millennium Project Report, produced by the American Council for the United Nations University in 2001, defines environmental security as “the relative safety from environmental dangers caused by natural or human processes due to ignorance, accident, mismanagement or design and originating within or across national borders.” Based on that definition, the environment is increasingly imperiled by many natural and human-created hazards, including invasive plant and animal species; crime; natural disasters; acts of sabotage affecting food, water, and air; insect and animal disease vectors; and toxic spills and other intended or unintended releases of harmful substances.
Thus, the goals of environmental security should include the detection and repair of environmental damage, prevention of conflict related to environmental conditions, and amelioration of the environmental scarcities and hazards that lead to conflict.
Research Agenda
The Environmental Security Program focuses on three research areas. The first is technical and involves the development of surveillance technologies designed for early detection of various environmental threats. These technologies build on UT’s proven strength in development of real-time biosensors to monitor for organic and inorganic pollutants; biological pathogens in air, water, and soil; and movement of pollutants through watersheds. This program relies on personnel from the Colleges of Arts and Sciences, Engineering, and Business Administration, and the Institute of Agriculture. It seeks funding from the state of Tennessee, private entities, and numerous federal agencies, including the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Defense, the National Institute for Environmental Health Sciences, the Department of Agriculture, and the National Science Foundation.
The second research area explores alternative energy technologies, specifically biological production of hydrogen. This effort seeks to convert agricultural waste material to hydrogen gas, a valuable energy carrier. It works in parallel with the East Tennessee Hydrogen Initiative (ETHI). ETHI is involved in planning and initiating the creation of a hydrogen-based support structure in East Tennessee that focuses on abiotic hydrogen production, storage, and distribution. Both of these efforts involve collaboration with ISSE’s Energy and Environmental Policy Research Program.
The third research area focuses on policy issues related to environmental security. This area developed in response to environmental problems that cross national and international borders. New strategies and policies are needed to address global warming, water scarcity, energy distribution, and land usage. We conduct research in this area in collaboration with ISSE’s Water Resources and Energy and Environmental Policy programs, the Howard H. Baker Jr. Center for Public Policy, the University of Tennessee Law School, and Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
Illustrative Projects
- Development of remote biosensors capable of detecting specific pathogens in air and water.
- Creation of microbial or plant sensors genetically engineered to detect improvised explosive devices, dangerous chemicals, and biological agents.
- Development of sensors able to detect clandestine methamphetamine labs.
- Metabolism of waste manure for the production of hydrogen gas.
- Development of assays for the rapid detection of microbial loads in surface waters.
View a presentation (a PowerPoint file) by John Sanseverino, Program Leader, on the Environmental Security Program.
