Ecological security and the phenomenon of eco-terrorism – the evolution of views in the context of socio-economic changes in the world

Abstract

Ecological security is an integral area of research within the framework of security studies, both in the national and international dimension. Without abandoning the realist (neo-realist) paradigm, in which the state plays a leading role in shaping security, broadening the context to include ecological threads means that solutions that meet the expectations of the main social actors will be created in a way that is more adequate to current challenges. The widely observed climate changes and the whole range of threats to the natural environment generated by human activity have resulted in the undertaking of a number of political actions and the creation of a rich set of legal instruments in the area of soft international law and national regulations. It can also be observed that concepts originating from radical economics have appeared in economic literature, which emphasize the need to abandon the neoliberal paradigm - the concept of degrowth. We observe a specific dichotomy between the declared actions and the expectations of radical movements. The postulates of these movements take the form of, among others, eco-terrorist actions. The main objective of the study is to indicate the growing importance of ecological security in analyses and studies on national security, in the context of growing ecological threats and the occurrence of the phenomenon of eco-terrorism. The article draws attention to the need for an active ecological policy of the state, referring to some actions taken as
part of the proposals of the European Union, and the need to change the approach to the management process. The contradiction of business goals and environmental goals may in the near future cause the escalation of radical organizations both in Western countries and in countries entering the path of intensive industrialization. It is important to promote effective state governance and practices that are supported by security services that respect human rights.