Worldwide Emerging Environmental Issues Affecting The Us Military February 2006 Report

The UN Secretary-General has appointed a 15-member international high-level panel to explore how to improve the work and efficiency of the UN system in the areas of development, humanitarian assistance, and environment. The study's outcomes will be used for the comprehensive UN management reform, complementing such other major reform initiatives as the new Peacebuilding Commission and the new Human Rights Council. The study is expected to be completed by the summer and its recommendations formally presented to the UN General Assembly in September 2006, with possible implementation in 2007.

The 16th annual conference on water took place in Stockholm, during World Water Week, August 20-26. Reports released during this week warned of possible consequences of future water scarcity, such as increased cost of water, civil unrest, mass migration, and economic collapse. There was consensus that poor management of water resources and soaring water usage are the main causes of water scarcity increasing worldwide faster than expected; and, unless there are drastic policy changes around the world, the grim statistics will only worsen, mostly in the densely populated and poor regions of China, Mexico, and India. A report by The World Wildlife Federation (WWF), Rich countries, poor water, warns that wealthy nations are threatened by a water crisis similarly to the drought-plagued poor countries, due to climate change, drought, loss of natural wetlands, and over-consumption by industry, agriculture and big cities. The report suggests seven ways to address the problem. The International Water Management Institute notes that while over the past 100 years water usage had increased six-fold, it is expected to double again by 2050. The World Bank estimates that 20-40% of water sector finances are lost to corruption. Water experts and businesses formed the Water Integrity Network (WIN) to combat corruption in the water sector. WIN is open to all. Transparency International and water corporations are the initial principal members. WIN seeks reforms to improve regulations and transparency, as well as increase public awareness.

Arab countries are among the least environmentally sustainable in the world. The current wars are making this situation worse. The impact of the oil slick caused by Israeli bombing of the Jiyyeh power station is an "environmental tragedy which is rapidly taking on a national but also a regional dimension," warned UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner. Long-term implications also include the loss to fishing for the Lebanese people, and decline in tourism. Presently the ecological damage spreads along 50 miles of the Lebanese coast; 10,000 tons of crude oil have been released into the Mediterranean, with another 15,000 tons expected to spill very soon. According to the Environmental Sustainability Index of Yale University, Iraq, Sudan, and Kuwait fall within the bottom 5% of the world for sustainability and half of the remaining Arab States scored in the lowest 25%. Without major changes, environmentally induced migrations and more conflicts in the region seem inevitable.

The Millennium Project defines environmental security as environmental viability for life support, with three sub-elements: * preventing or repairing military damage to the environment, * preventing or responding to environmentally caused conflicts, and * protecting the environment due to its inherent moral value. This summarizing paper presents the events and emerging environmental security-related issues identified since June 2006, organized around this definition. Over 225 items have been identified during the past half-year and about 950 items since August 2002 when the Millennium Project has began this monthly scanning. All the items and their sources, organized by the month when they were identified, are available on the AEPI web page http://www.aepi.army.mil/rpt-weei.html.

The People's Liberation Army of China has been directed by President Hu Jintao to submit its construction and training plans, as well as materiel transfer, weapon purchases, repair, and disposal to local authorities for approval regarding environmental impacts. The President also issued new regulations that specify assessment procedures and penalties for infractions. Construction of military bases, ports, logistics centers and exercise fields is to be approved only after the project passes environmental evaluation, including approval by local environment authorities.

"Lack of water or its poor quality, last year [2005], caused 10 times more deaths than all the wars waged on the planet together," noted Loic Fauchon, President of the World Water Council, in addressing the 4th World Water Forum held March 16-22 in Mexico City. About 20,000 participants from 141 countries participated. There were over 200 sessions and 1,600 local actions were presented. The dominating discussions were on: universal access to clean water--without border constraints; recognition of water as a fundamental human right and key to development; access to water-related technologies; and improved water management and capacity building. At the Ministerial Conference concluding the Forum, high-level officials adopted the Ministerial Declaration, calling for intensified national and international action on water and sanitation issues by including water and sanitation as priorities in national processes, and support for integrated water resources management.

The High-Level Meeting on Compliance with and Enforcement of Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs), organized by UNEP, took place in Colombo, Sri Lanka, 21-22 January. The meeting reviewed and assessed the problems impeding the full implementation of MEAs and the best procedures to help governments comply with their obligations under the various international treaties for protecting the global environment. In addition to looking into the technical aspects of compliance, the meeting also explored new legal, structural, and institutional improvements, such as synergies, inter-linkages, and clustering of MEAs. The draft Chair's Summary identifies 23 challenges grouped in 3 categories (institutional structures; interlinkages; and instruments to improve implementation) that need further consideration, capacity building, and resources. The Summary will serve UNEP in developing an action plan to improve MEAs' compliance and enforcement. The plan is expected to be presented to the UNEP Governing Council in 2007.

The New Zealand High Court has ruled that climate change factors can be considered during Greenpeace's upcoming appeal against the proposed Marsden B coal-burning power station. Greenpeace appealed the permission granted to the Marsden B power station to start burning coal, on grounds of environmental and mainly climate change consequences. Although this ruling is limited to New Zealand and to a specific industry, it creates a precedent with effects likely to be felt in other jurisdictions and sectors. In November, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear the case of Massachusetts v. Environmental Protection Agency (case 05-1120) filed by twelve states and several cities on EPA's role to regulate CO2 as a greenhouse gas pollutant under the Clean Air Act. Over 16 other litigations are pending in U.S. federal and state courts against companies whose emissions are linked to global warming; more are expected to come. Swiss Re, the world's largest reinsurance company, estimates that the annual liability costs of global warming will be $150 billion dollars per year within ten years.

This report is comprised of summary and analysis of topics that deal with environmental issues affecting the U.S. military. Topics include: climate change, technology assessment, cleanup technologies, water purification, organic pollutants, marine environments, environmental protection, air pollution, ecosystems, food shortages, melting glaciers, climate models, global warming, nanotechnology safety issues, and radiation sources.