Environmental stressors, natural resources and human security Siri Eriksen Department of Sociology and Human Geography University of Oslo P.O.Box 1096 Blindern NO-0317 Oslo, Norway Siri.eriksen@sgeo.uio.no

Human security the condition when and where individuals and communities have the options necessary to end, mitigate, or adapt to risks to their human, environmental, and social rights; have the capacity and freedom to exercise these options; and actively participate in attaining these options.

A need to shift the focus Most policy attention so far has been on climate risks Some attention has been paid to macro-level and sectoral adjustments However, a micro-level and multi-sectoral focus is needed Increased focus is needed on local response capacity and on drivers of vulnerability

Message 1: Responses take place in a context of multiple stressors People experience a multiplicity of risks Multiple stressors are both environmental and societal in origin Local systems of natural resource use can be sensitive to pressures from outside Sources of vulnerability link across space such as between urban and rural areas and across international borders, as well as across sectors These interactions influence the capacity to respond to climate-related events

Message 2: Vulnerability context is highly differentiated The vulnerability context varies from place to place, between individuals and over time Groups are not homogenous There are hidden and unexpected sources of vulnerability Vulnerability and poverty are not synonymous Interventions can inadvertedly increase exposure to stressors and reduce response capacity

Message 3: People’s responses to multiple shocks and changes are intrinsically political processes There is continuous negotiation of competing interests between groups Policy attention and investments have been skewed towards commercial farmers and large land owners at the expense of smallscale resource users Most populations have a poor negotiating position in labour and trade markets that lock them into unreliable and short term survival type strategies at the expense of long term livelihood security

Main challenges Ensuring people’s access to means of ensuring well-being, including social infrastructure, cultural rights, employment, economic activities such as farming, and natural resources Strengthening the ability of vulnerable populations to influence political processes, policy development, economic changes and natural resource management systems and hence ensure their adaptation interests