Environmental Security: What Environmental Issues Impact Regional Stability and Affect United States Foreign Policy with Mexico?

This paper examines what environmental security is and what issues effect it, concentrating on the United StatesMexico relationship. The United States is the only viable world leader since the fall of the Soviet Union. This unique leadership role offers opportunity and responsibility for shaping and developing world consensus and action for transnational issues. This paper explores the issue of environmental security in the broad sense for the United States and then concentrates on regional environmental security between the United States and Mexico. The importance of the Mexican government and economy as well as environmental issues in Mexico will be reviewed. The research is based on information available for the most part since 1990 and relies heavily on US State Department dispatches and Foreign Broadcast Information Service FBIS articles from Mexico. Environmental security affects a countrys vital interest and is thus important enough to devote diplomatic and economic resources towards well defined goals. The environmental conditions in Mexico are not unique for a developing country however they do have a border with us, and thus present a valid case study opportunity for other regions. United States foreign policy initiatives with Mexico are positive. Continued actions and results depend on a stable Mexican government and vibrant economy.