North Atlantic Treaty Organization

Environmental security

As outlined in the 1999 Strategic Concept, NATO plays a key role in identifying and addressing current and emerging security challenges. The link between the environment and our security is rapidly becoming a major political issue for governments across the globe.

Environmental degradation as a result of depletion of natural resources, transboundary issues arising from shared water sources, pollution, etc., can lead ultimately to regional tensions and violence. Through the Science for Peace and Security (SPS) Programme, NATO nations are helping Partner and Mediterranean Dialogue countries deal with the issue of environmental security through scientific cooperation that is delivering concrete results.

How did it evolve?

The SPS Programme fosters collaboration between NATO nations and Partner and Mediterranean Dialogue countries to help address their security issues and provide solutions.  At the same time such cooperation enhances trust and confidence and improves capacity building, with the overarching aim of mitigating conflict and contributing to sustainable peace and stability in the Euro-Atlantic region.

Environmental security has been identified as a key priority for NATO’s Partner and Mediterranean Dialogue countries and in 2008, NATO nations concurred that the Science Security Forum would address this issue in-depth by bringing together internationally-recognized experts from NATO member, Partner and Mediterranean Dialogue countries.

Working with other organizations

As well as working with a broad network of experts within NATO, Partner and Mediterranean Dialogue countries, the SPS programme extends this cooperation through ongoing collaboration with other international bodies such as the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe and the Environmental Security Initiative1 - more information at http://www.envsec.org/.

“The whole notion of security as traditionally understood – in terms of political and military threats to national sovereignty – must be expanded to include the growing impact of environmental stress – locally, nationally, regionally and globally”. UN World Commission on Environment and Development (1987)

1. The ENVSEC Initiative was established in 2003 by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). NATO became an associate member in 2004, through its Public Diplomacy Division. Recently, the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) and the Regional Environment Center for Central and Eastern Europe (REC) joined.