NATO School explores energy security
Energy is vital for society and the military and NATO continues to consult on and develop its capacity to contribute to energy security. The changing energy landscape and its security implications for NATO Allies and partner countries was the focus of the first Energy Security Strategic Awareness Course held at the NATO School in Oberammergau which concluded on 2 October.
More than 40 students from 23 NATO member and partner countries attended the week-long course in Germany. The NATO Energy Security Centre of Excellence (CoE), the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey and NATO’s Emerging Security Challenges Division, as well as Allied Command Transformation and Allied Command Operations, worked together to prepare the programme.
Discussions covered political, military and economic aspects of energy and examined their links to security. Special consideration was given to enhancing energy efficiency in the military as a step to save costs, reduce risks and contribute to the environment.
“The course marks a new stage in the evolution of NATO’s role in energy security,” said Michael Rühle, Head of the Energy Security Section at NATO Headquarters. “Energy cuts across many security issues, from geopolitics to economics. And the NATO School did a great job in weaving these topics into a well-structured course,” he added.
The students attended lectures on the geopolitics of energy security, maritime security, cyber defence, the role of the private sector in energy security and other related subjects. They also worked in syndicates to develop their own solutions to energy-related security challenges. The NATO Energy Security CoE provided several speakers.
The Dean of the NATO School, Colonel Timothy Dreifke, expressed strong support for the course. “Studying energy security was part of my military education. I felt that the time had come to offer such a course for Allies and partners. Our commandant, Captain Scott Butler, had long been supportive of such a new course. I am glad we could make it happen,” he explained.
The course is likely to become an annual event.