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| Updated: 22-Feb-2002 | NATO Speeches |
Warsaw,
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Combating Terrorism through Civil ScienceActivities
of the NATO Science Committee
Deputy Assistant Secretary General Scientific and Environmental Division NATO International Secretariat at the Seminar the Role of EAPC in Combating Terrorism |
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The NATO Science Programme offers support for collaboration in civil science between scientists of the counties of the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council (EAPC). The goal is to stimulate the cooperation which is essential to progress in science and to help sustain the scientific communities in transition in Partner countries. Support is also provided to Partner countries for basic computer networking infrastructure and to guide the organization of their research, as well as to fund applied science and technology projects to assist Partner countries to advance their industrial and economic development.
The Science Programme is a "bottom-up" grant award programme. Each year, about €25 M of NATO funding is provided to about 10,000 scientists from EAPC countries through a variety of mechanisms. These include science fellowships, applied science projects, scientific conferences, linkage grants and computer networking projects. Awards are made on the basis of scientific quality as judged by Advisory Panels of respected scientists from the NATO and Partner countries. The NATO Science Programme is fully oriented towards fostering east-west links, and all activities are required to have participation by both Partner and NATO scientists.
In the context of counter-terrorism, the Science Programme conducts most related activities under its Panel on Security-Related Civil Science and Technology (SST). This Panel deals with means of reducing the negative effects of military activity and increasing security. It addresses such topics as the detection, verification, disarmament and conversion of NBC and conventional agents and weapons; the protection of populations against CB agents; and the remediation of environmental effects arising from military activity. More than 3,500 scientists have participated in SST activities since 1993, in 65 conferences and workshops. All work conducted in SST is non-classified civil science.
In November 2001, the SST Panel commissioned a working group to examine possible future work for reducing the impact of terrorist attacks. The group identified the following generic areas:
Although much of the previous research under the SST Panel is relevant to the fight against terrorism, the first direct activity to be organized as a result of the SST working group is a "Workshop on Social and Psychological Consequences of Chemical, Biological and Radiological Terrorism", organized jointly with the R&T Organization as a NATO-Russia event.
The Science Committee is conducting continuing discussions of its response to terrorism, and the staff of the Scientific and Environmental Affairs (SEA) Division are maintaining coordination with other relevant bodies.
Full information on the NATO Science Programme may be found at the following website address: http://www.nato.int/science.
The Committee on the Challenges of Modern Society or CCMS is distinct from the NATO Science Programme in that it fosters networks of government experts to examine difficult issues of common interest. Both NATO and Partner country experts cooperate, generally in conducting Pilot Studies and Short-Term Projects aimed at finding solutions to environmental, societal and health problems including defence-related environmental issues.
To date, about 65 Pilot Studies and Short-Term Projects have been completed. An additional 12 Pilot Project and 5 Short-Term Projects are currently under way. More than 270 publications have been produced as a result of this activity.
In October 2000, the CCMS decided to redirect its core activity to reflect emerging needs and threats. A number of "Key Objectives" were identified, including "Non-Traditional Threats to Security". Examples of such non-traditional threats are: Eco-Terrorism; Migration of Populations; Infectious Diseases; Education to Avoid Social / Religious Conflicts; and Ideological / Mediatic Pollution.
A Steering Group has been established to guide activity under this CCMS Key Objective, and is organizing a Seminar on Non-Traditional Threats to be held in the near future.
On-going CCMS activities relevant to counter-terrorism are studies on:
Full information on the CCMS programme and its activities may be found at the following website address: http://www.nato.int/ccms
