Comprehensive Security for the Baltic: An Environmental Approach (International Peace Research Institute, Oslo (PRIO))

International security continues to be a topic of deep concern. As nations strive to protect their interests, an issue of international importance has been proposed to contribute to comprehensive national security: environmental protection. Comprehensive Security for the Baltic considers the extent to which regional cooperation on environmental protection and natural-resource utilization serves as a political confidence-building process that can contribute to the achievement of comprehensive international security. Using the Baltic Sea ecosystem as a case study, the contributors examine ways of building regional confidence sufficient to permit an environmentally sound development strategy to be realized. "It would be a mistake to suppose that the rather amazing recent political changes render this book out of date, for it provides a detailed and valuable survey of the agencies for international cooperation which had in fact been established by 1989, and of the progress which they had achieved. In particular, the book provides us with much useful information on progress made in limiting fishery catches, and in monitoring the quality of the Baltic Sea itself." --Global Environmental Change