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Eco-Terrorism/Enviro-Terrorism: Background, Prospects, Countermeasures

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Environmental Security and Ecoterrorism

Abstract

The terms eco-terrorism and environmental terrorism are discussed in terms of the context in which they have been and are presently used. Their historical origins and intended targets were originally quite different but the terms are increasingly perceived as being synonymous. The ease with which the environment can be used as a weapon to facilitate an attack against civilians or armed forces is of ever-increasing concern. Forest and bush fires may become a preferred weapon of choice due to the extent of damage versus low cost and risk of the perpetrators being caught. Countermeasures will include a heavier reliance on technological developments with regard to detection, be it fixed sensors or remote sensing, as well as improved intelligence network capabilities.

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Acknowledgments

The author thanks the M. Simm Foundation, Canada.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Arid Ecosystems Research Center, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel

    Simon M. Berkowicz

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  1. Simon M. Berkowicz
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Correspondence to Simon M. Berkowicz .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Food Engineering Dept., Middle East Technical University, Ankara, 06531, Turkey

    Hami Alpas

  2. , Institute of Earth Sciences, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Safra Givat Ram Campus, Jerusalem, Israel

    Simon M. Berkowicz

  3. , Inst. of Higher Nervous Activity of RAS, Inst. of Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russian Federation

    Irina Ermakova

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Berkowicz, S.M. (2011). Eco-Terrorism/Enviro-Terrorism: Background, Prospects, Countermeasures. In: Alpas, H., Berkowicz, S., Ermakova, I. (eds) Environmental Security and Ecoterrorism. NATO Science for Peace and Security Series C: Environmental Security. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-1235-5_2

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