NATO joins forces
to address environment security
Monitoring of the Pripyat river has been identified as a priority under the ENVSEC Initiative
The Environment and Security Initiative (ENVSEC) hosts a conference on the environmental dimensions of security in Brussels on 13 November 2008. NATO, as an associated member, jointly organizes the event with the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Regional Environmental Centre (REC) and United Nation Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE).
Building synergies
The objective of the conference is to join the forces of international organizations and participating nations to identify key environment and security issues threatening the regions of Central Asia, South Eastern Europe, Southern Caucasus and Eastern Europe.
ENVSEC collaborates closely with governments - particularly foreign, defence and environment ministries - national experts and NGOs to assess and develop projects to tackle these issues. Based on its assessment, the Initiative has published a series of maps and reports to highlight priority areas and help coordinate the efforts of all stakeholders.
NATO, which is associated to ENVSEC since 2004 through its Public Diplomacy Division, contributes to the Initiative by providing financial and technical support to selected activities that are in line with the Alliance’s geographical and thematic priorities, under the Science for Peace and Security (SPS) Programme.
The SPS Programme and the NATO Maintenance and Supply Agency (NAMSA) have recently started developing projects that directly address ENVSEC priorities, such as flood risk forecasting of the Pripyat river that flows through the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone in Ukraine and clean-up of pesticides in Moldova.
