What is environmental security? (and why it matters to you) - @galacticchloe

Added: 2026-05-16

[00:00:00]Water, energy or soil.

[00:00:01]Those are the most vital resources of the 21st century. And today, they are threat on all fronts.

[00:00:07]First with water stress. In the summer of 2022, in France, 93 out of the 96 departments went under water restrictions.

[00:00:15]In Spain, farmers were forced to stop irrigating, and industries compelled to scale back their operations due to water shortages.

[00:00:21]Let's also not forget energy volatility. In Europe, in 2022, when Russia cut off the gas, the energy prices were multiplied by six in just a few months. Factories closed and jobs disappeared.

[00:00:32]And finally, in armed conflict.

[00:00:34]In the Middle East, drones no longer only target all fields.

[00:00:37]They target desalination plants to cut off population from their water supply.

[00:00:41]Europe is not a war zone, and yet those resources are already becoming critical. In this more unstable world, what cities, businesses and territories need is security.

[00:00:50]Not just crisis response, but security in a sense of : "Can I count on my resources tomorrow?

[00:00:55]Can I plan for the future with confidence?"

[00:00:58]That's what environmental security means: guaranteeing reliable, affordable and sustainable access to vital resources, so that industries stay competitive, cities resilient, and people healthy.

[00:01:09]And the good news is: we've been working on it. In Barcelona, Veolia recovers residual cold from natural gas terminals to power entire buildings with energy. An energy that is local, low-lcarbon and made from what was previously wasted. In the United States, They eliminate PFAS, the so-called "forever chemicals" that accumulate in groundwater and threatens the life of millions.

[00:01:29]And that is exactly environmental security in action: anticipating rather than enduring. The solutions exist.

[00:01:35]They're being deployed right now all around the world.

[00:01:37]On Verso, we show you how.

[00:01:38]Oh, and by the way, Veolia recently gathered in Paris researchers, businesses, environmental specialists, financial actors and policymakers to find solutions.

[00:01:48]Jeremy made a video. So subscribe!