2
assistant professor, International Relations, Ahl al Bayt International University, Tehran, Iran
10.22080/jpir.2026.30480.1488
Abstract
The Middle East and North Africa security complex can perhaps be considered one of the complexes in which environmental security is still considered as part of the lower politics in the sense of realism. Despite these recent developments and the increase in climate change on the one hand and political instability in this complex, these issues have gradually gained increasing importance, so that in some areas they have become the most important concern of some countries in the region. Accordingly, the main question that arises is how has political instability led to environmental insecurity in the Middle East and North Africa? In response, it should be said that political instability, by affecting the reduction of government focus on budgets dedicated to environmental issues, direct destruction due to war, lack of direct and effective negotiations, destruction of wars as a result of managerial instability and corruption, and lack of focus on clean energy, has caused environmental destruction, which in turn leads to increased dissatisfaction and erosion of the stability and legitimacy of the governments of the region. The present study has attempted to prove this issue by using a quantitative approach in the form of statistics and tables and a qualitative approach in the form of interpretation of political and environmental trends to reach a comprehensive assessment of this issue.
Al-Hameed, R., & Al-Qaisi, S. (2020). “Financing Climate Resilience in Post-Conflict Iraq: Challenges and Opportunities”, Climate Policy Journal, 20(3), pp. 320-335.
Al-Khatib, I. A., & Al-Madi, O. K. (2021). “The Impact of Syrian Refugees on Water and Sanitation Infrastructure in Jordan: A Sustainability Perspective”, Journal of Environmental Management, 290, pp. 55-60.
Al-Maamory, Ali. (2021). “Environmental Pollution and Depleted Uranium in Iraq: Consequences on Public Health and Future Generations”, International Journal of Environmental Monitoring and Analysis, 9(2).
Al-Obaidi, H., & Al-Fahad, Z. (2020). “Chemical Contamination and Water Security Challenges in Syrian Conflict Zones”, Environmental Research Letters, 15(11), pp. 185-195.
Al-Sarawi, M. (2017). “Environmental Impacts of the 1991 Gulf War on Kuwait’s Soil and Groundwater Resources”, Journal of Arid Environments, 137, pp. 110-120.
El-Ammari, A. (2019). “The Geopolitics of Water Scarcity and State Failure in Yemen”, Middle East Review of International Affairs, 23(1), pp. 45-60.
Esfandiari, H., & Zarrabi, M. (2021). “Sanctions and Environmental Deterioration in Iran: A Case of Limited Green Technology Access”, International Environmental Agreements: Politics, Law and Economics, 21(4).
FAO(2018). “A review of potential methods for monitoring rangeland degradation in Libya”, AVAILABLE AT: [https://www.fao.org/reports/libya-land-degradation-2018](https://www.google.com/search?q=https://www.fao.org/reports/libya-land-degradation-2018)
Food and Agriculture Organization (2019). “Environmental Impacts of Syrian Refugees on Host Communities in Lebanon and Jordan”, FAO Report.
Gaafar, Roba. (2021). “The environmental impact of Syria’s conflict: A preliminary survey of issues”, Arab Reform Initiative. https://www.arab-reform.net/publication/the-environmental-impact-of-syrias-conflict-a-preliminary-survey-of-issues/
Gleick, Peter H. (2019). “Water as a weapon and casualty of armed conflict: A review of recent water‐related violence in Iraq, Syria, and Yemen”, Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Water, 6(4), e1351. https://doi.org/10.1002/wat2.1351
Globalforestwatch(2025). “LYBIA”, available at: https://www.globalforestwatch.org/dashboards/country/LBY/.
Homer-Dixon, T. F. (2018). The Ingenuity Gap: Can We Solve the Problems We Create? Vintage Books, pp. 110-115.
IEA (International Energy Agency) (2022). “Iraq Energy Outlook: Challenges to Renewable Energy Development”, IEA Special Report.
Khalifa, A., & Ben Saad, N. (2022). “The Impact of Armed Conflict on Forest Cover and Land Use Change in Northwest Libya”, Land Use Policy, www.http://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://www.medfor.eu/sites/default/files/editor/ad_final_thesis_angham_daiyoub_0.pdf.
Le Billion, P. (2016). Wars of Plunder: Conflicts, Profits and the Politics of Resources, Columbia University Press, pp. 201-205.
Lemake, Douglas, (2005) “Perspective on Politics”, American Political Science Association, Vol. 3, No 1.
net(2025), Jordan Refugee Statistics, available at: https://www.macrotrends.net/global-metrics/countries/jor/jordan/refugee-statistics.
Ourworldindata(2025), Energy Production and Consumption, available at: https://ourworldindata.org/energy-production-consumption.
PAX & Syrians for Truth and Justice. (2024). Thirst for Peace: Water and chemical warfare in Syria. Retrieved from https://stj-sy.org
UN Security Council. (2021). Report of the Panel of Experts on Libya established pursuant to resolution 1973 (2011). S/2021/824, p. 7.
UNCTAD (United Nations Conference on Trade and Development) (2019). “Economic Sanctions and Trade Restrictions: Impact on Iran's Environmental Sector” UNCTAD Policy Brief, p. 19.
UNEP (United Nations Environment Programme) (2018). “Syria’s Environment in Conflict: Assessment and Way Forward”, UNEP Report.
UN-ESCWA (United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia) (2017). “The Impact of the Syrian Conflict on Water Resources in the Region”, UN-ESCWA Report.
Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs. (2018). “Costs of War Project: The human and environmental toll of the Iraq War”, Brown University. https://watson.brown.edu/costsofwar.
Westing, A. H. (1991). “Environmental Destruction Caused by the Gulf War”, Bulletin of Peace Proposals, 22(4).
Westing, Arthur H. (1991). “The regional environmental consequences of the Gulf War”, Environmental Conservation, 18(4).
World Bank. (2020). “Syria Response: Environmental and Social Challenges in Host Countries”, World Bank Group, available at: https://www.worldbank.org/en/country/syria/overview.
World Bank. (2021). “Yemen Water Sector Assessment: Challenges and Opportunities in a Conflict Setting”, World Bank Group Report. www.http//efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://documents1.worldbank.org/curated/en/099111924095042411/pdf/P180386156c0320eb1913217409bcab5d7a.pdf.
Zwijnenburg, W. (2018). “Oil Smuggling and Environmental Contamination in the Mediterranean”, Environmental Security Journal, 4(2).
Hashemi, T. , & Mohseni, S. (2026). Political instability and its impact on environmental insecurity in the Middle East and North Africa security complex. Journal of Politics and International Relations, 9(1), 153-182. doi: 10.22080/jpir.2026.30480.1488
MLA
Tina Hashemi; Sajad Mohseni. "Political instability and its impact on environmental insecurity in the Middle East and North Africa security complex", Journal of Politics and International Relations, 9, 1, 2026, 153-182. doi: 10.22080/jpir.2026.30480.1488
HARVARD
Hashemi, T., Mohseni, S. (2026). 'Political instability and its impact on environmental insecurity in the Middle East and North Africa security complex', Journal of Politics and International Relations, 9(1), pp. 153-182. doi: 10.22080/jpir.2026.30480.1488
CHICAGO
T. Hashemi and S. Mohseni, "Political instability and its impact on environmental insecurity in the Middle East and North Africa security complex," Journal of Politics and International Relations, 9 1 (2026): 153-182, doi: 10.22080/jpir.2026.30480.1488
VANCOUVER
Hashemi, T., Mohseni, S. Political instability and its impact on environmental insecurity in the Middle East and North Africa security complex. Journal of Politics and International Relations, 2026; 9(1): 153-182. doi: 10.22080/jpir.2026.30480.1488