Non-traditional security threats in Kazakhstan: An account of environmental problems

Environmental problems have emerged as a serious threat not only to the economic development of the countries but are also to human security. The threats posed by environmental crisis have gone beyond the traditional concepts of security (e.g. terrorism, border conflicts and other threats to the territorial integrity of a state or country). Since long Kazakhstan is suffering from many environmental problems especially nuclear contamination, shrinking of Aral Sea followed by desertification and destruction of aquatic and terrestrial habitat, monoculture farming followed by land degradation and soil pollution, urban pollution and natural disasters. These are endangering the security of human life in terms of economic loss, health problems and degrading the quality of some essential resources. There is increasing rate of out migration from the areas adjacent to Aral Sea and the areas of nuclear contamination. Deep ecological problems of the region can be considered as an indirect threat for regional security. In this context, this paper aims to determine the major non-traditional security threats in Central Asia in general and in Kazakhstan in particular, the impact of environmental problems as non-traditional security threats to the country and the major policy initiatives taken by Kazakhstan to deal with environmental problems. Concluding part of this study offers some recommendations for a better environmental health and human security of Kazakhstan.