Water Resources and Environmental Quality as Factors Affecting the Dynamic and the Security of Populations

This paper introduces the concept of Environmental Security in relation with the parameters of the environment which could affect the availability of essential resources for populations. Water availability and its management are evaluated in different regions of the world and in different environmental conditions and the role of international organisations on this issue has been taken into consideration. More specifically the content of two workshops sponsored by the Science Programme of NATO and dealing with water resources, environment and security are briefly reported. Specific attention has been paid to the case of the Mediterranean Region in which the natural conditions are stressed by several factors, including human initiatives, increased population, perspectives of climate change etc.