Close
Back
Download NATO’s broadcast-quality video content free of charge
Log in
No account?
Forgot your password?
NATO MULTIMEDIA ACCOUNT
Access NATO’s broadcast-quality video content free of charge
Create an account
Check your inbox and enter verification code
We have sent a verification code to your email address.
.
Enter the code to verify your account. This code will expire in 30 minutes.
You have successfully created your account
From now on you can download videos from our website
Subscribe to our newsletter
If you would also like to subscribe to the newsletter and receive our latest updates, click on the button below.
Reset password
Enter the email address you registered with and we will send you a code to reset your password.
Reset password
We have sent a verification code to your email address.
Enter the code to verify your account. This code will expire in 30 minutes.
Create a new password
The password must be at least 12 characters long, no spaces, include upper/lowercase letters, numbers and symbols.
Your password has been updated
Click the button to return to the page you were on and log in with your new password.
With the international financial crisis affecting the defence budgets of Allies in unprecedented ways, a sustained effort must be made to spend limited resources more effectively and efficiently.
To support NATO’s efforts in this regard, the Emerging Security Challenges Division and the Public Diplomacy Division organised a seminar on Monday, 5 March 2012 focusing on ways to use existing smart energy technology in a military setting. Speakers from several NATO member nations highlighted their experiences with the practical application of smart energy solutions to reduce fossil fuel consumption in their respective militaries.
Smart energy and smart defence
Ambassador Gábor Iklódy, NATO Assistant Secretary General for Emerging Security Challenges, stressed that wisely utilizing energy resources is not just a matter of saving money in cash strapped times, but also a strategic imperative.
“Our defence budgets are under tremendous pressure, and they will remain under pressure for the foreseeable future. If we don’t take action, we risk the decline of NATO's military competence, and thus the decline of our ability to shape the strategic environment in line with our values and interests,” he said during his opening speech.
By making NATO forces more energy efficient, smart energy represents a timely contribution to smart defence. “Smart defence without smart energy won’t fly. By design and by definition these two are bound to go together,” emphasized Ambassador Bruzga.
Smart energy is common sense
During the seminar, five speakers from Canada, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom and the United States highlighted innovative ways to deliver low-cost, effective solutions to reduce dependence on fossil fuels.
The presentations explored the economic and environmental benefits of the use of bio-fuels, alternative energy options in hot and cold environments, various ways to save energy in the short term such as the use enhanced insulation and low power accommodations, and identified sustainable electrical power alternatives to fossil fuels, including wind, solar, geothermal, and hydro and heat pump technologies, among others.
Although the seminar primarily looked at ways to reduce dependence on fossil fuels, it was not the sole focus. “Saving fuel is our key concern, but it is not our only challenge. We also need to protect the environment,” said Ambassador Iklódy.
“There is no denying that our armed forces are large polluters, and it is in our collective interest that we make every effort to reduce their environmental impact. This is not a matter of political correctness. It is a matter of common sense,” he said.