Environmental Security refers to the relationship between the environment and the many aspects of "security" in human societies. This includes:

• impacts of natural disasters such as earthquakes, storms, draughts, floods, landslides, or volcanic action on human populations;
• impacts of environmental changes caused on humans on large populations, such impacts of climate change, deforestation, or reduced soil productivity;
• military or violent conflict arising from environmental issues such as over access to water, or environmentally induced population movements;
• impacts on the environment caused by military conflict, such as the 1991 major oils spills and fires related to the first Gulf War;
• environmental impacts of security-related activities such as, dumping of munitions, and  concerns about military uses sonar impacting whales; and,
• the impacts of changing environmental conditions on military operations and strategic issues, such as reduced ice coverage in the Arctic.

There is also some use of the term environmental security to refer to the security of the natural environmental "from" human damage in recognition on its inherent value.