Worldwide Emerging Environmental Issues Affecting The Us Military November 2005 Report

The UN was organized 60 years ago around the principle of preventing national wars. Today it should be reorganized around the principle of addressing human security, which would reinvent global governance, proposes former Canadian foreign minister, Lloyd Axworthy. A UN cohesive response system able to rapidly deploy aid when and where necessary is needed now to efficiently respond to current civil conflicts and disasters. There may be an emerging consensus that human security could be the next organizing principle for international relations. Whether or not Lloyd Axworthy will promote the idea in the UN General Assembly, the idea of re-organizing the UN on human security issues could well be inevitable. The military should create alternative scenarios for such potential UN restructuring and study how it might contribute to and be affected by each scenario.

The world's first international research center dedicated to "creeping environmental problems" has been established in the northwestern Chinese city of Lanzhou. These are the slow and cumulative problems, like global warming and desertification. The Center's vice-president, Ye Qian, is from the US National Center for Atmospheric Research. There will be more than 20 scientists from various countries working on the center's projects. The military should consider establishing liaison with this institution, and follow its work. It affords an excellent opportunity to maintain contact with research and researchers on global long-range environmental issues.

The International Organization for Standardization established in June 2005 the Technical Committee for Nanotechnologies (ISO/TC 229) with Chair and Secretariat in the UK. The scope of ISO/TC 229 is to produce standards for "classification, terminology and nomenclature, basic metrology, characterization, including calibration and certification, risk and environmental issues." The first meeting of the new Committee will be held on 9-11 November 2005 in London, organized by the British Standards Institution (BSI). Relevant military personnel should consider contacting the U.S. representatives (American National Standards Institute) on TC 229 Nanotechnologies to provide input on concerns and/or methodologies and also to be kept informed and prepared to comply with the eventual standards to be set.

The hunger for energy might become a driving force for some countries to disregard international security issues and accords to the point of jeopardizing international security. For example, there were international concerns expressed about the alleged Chinese offers of arms and other sensitive defense technology in return for oil and gas rights in certain countries. "Unprecedented political opposition" probably triggered by strategic concerns in the US Congress forced the withdrawal of China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC)'s bid for California's Unocal. Similar concerns may affect the rival bids of China and India to buy a Canadian firm with oil fields in Kazakhstan. Beneficial environmental restraints and agreements in many regions of the world are likely to be victims of desperation for energy at this time in history when many forces are converging to harm human society. Nations near the edge of environmental and food sufficiency collapse could become additional failed states and competitors. The world's current and rising dependence on oil and gas may possibly trigger new regulations at national, regional, and international levels to protect national energy sources and avoid eventual unethical deals that might jeopardize international security. In addition to possible security aspects that would have direct implications for it, the military should enhance its efforts on energy conservation and development of alternative energy sources--both for its own interest and as a contribution to national security. Security is just one more reason (in addition to climate change and others) why reducing reliance on oil has become vital.

Thirty decisions were reached during the first Meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol (COP/MOP 1) that was held November 29 to December 9, 2005 in conjunction with the eleventh Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP 11), which reached 14 decisions. This package of decisions was named the "Montreal Action Plan" by Stephane Dion, President of COP 11 and COP/MOP 1. The Plan is a "clear roadmap" for international cooperation to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to develop approaches to cope with consequences of climate changes. It also has established a forum to find innovative solutions.

Building on the "Ocean Security Conference" held in the US Congress in May 1997 and the "Towards Enhancement of Ocean Security in the Third Millennium" conference held in the Swedish Parliament in January 1998, the International Conference for the Initiative of Environmental Security of Seas and Oceans was held in Tripoli, Libya, 23-25 July 2005 as the first of three international conferences on the Ocean Security Initiative. It was organized by the Advisory Committee on Protection of Seas and Oceans (ACOPS) under the patronage of the Gadhafi International Foundation for Charities Associations and the Environmental General Authority of Great Jamahiriya. Ocean environment and security experts from 26 countries representing governments, international organizations, NGOs, and the private sector participated. The conference addressed the environmental security issues relating to the seas and oceans from a broad perspective ranging from illegal immigration to transnational organized crime. Participants stressed that international and trans-institutional collective action was required to assure compliance with international terms and standards for improved ocean environmental security. Relevant military personnel should review outcomes of the July 2005 conference to determine whether new, relevant issues or opportunities were created. Military-to-military cooperation with Libya should be considered, given Libya's new international posture. Relevant military personnel should study the Tripoli Declaration on Ocean Security and contact the US Assistant Secretary of State for Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs and the US Congressional delegation led by Congressman Curt Weldon to explore the range of possibilities for cooperation.

The new International Health Regulations adopted by the World Health Organization's annual assembly on May 23, 2005, will increase security against global epidemics of deadly diseases by improving national and international capacity for preventing and responding to disease outbreaks. The new regulations include comprehensive assessment, reporting, and response standards mandatory for each country and to be implemented within a specific timeframe; operational mechanisms; increased collaboration between countries' health offices and with the WHO; and a better coordinated international reporting and response system. The regulations stipulate the increased roles of countries and WHO in identifying, preventing, and responding to public health emergencies of international concern. WHO should be quickly informed of any outbreak of four diseases--SARS, bird flu, smallpox and polio--as well as any outbreaks of "potential international public health concern" from known or unknown causes or sources. The new regulations will formally come into force two years after approved by the Assembly. The new WHO regulations should be distributed to relevant military commands so they can determine the implications for their operations and potentials for collaboration with WHO country offices and the Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network (GOARN). Such reviews should also include the new matrix developed by WHO for helping countries identify whether new health incidents are of international concern. Military organizations should be ready to use it on their own initiatives (and for their own protection) in countries that are not well prepared to respond to the new regulations.

Environment and global warming issues were mentioned in several speeches delivered by Heads of State and Governments at the UN Summit, however it was not a dominant theme. There were calls to ratify international treaties designed to tackle environmental and global warming problems, and agreement was reached to create a worldwide early warning system for all natural hazards and improve the Central Emergency Revolving Fund to ensure timely relief. Leaders of small island states warned that unless aggressive action is taken to deal with climate change to protect small island states, their people will become environmental refugees due to rising ocean levels. The Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement were recognized as an important international framework for the protection of internally displaced persons. Environment was listed along with the International Criminal Court, human rights, and disarmament as an issue that was not addressed strongly enough in the 2005 World Summit Outcome. It could be a mistake to interpret this as a decrease in environmental interest. Much political energy was dedicated to UN Security Council reform and international lobbying to reverse the US initial position to delete the Millennium Development Goals. Although environmental issues were relatively less prominent in this final UN Summit document than in the previous one, it is likely that environment-related actions and regulations will go beyond the agreed document due to momentum of improving international environmental agreements documented previously in these reports.

This report is comprised of summaries and analysis of environmental issues affecting the U.S. military. Topics include: environmental security, energy, biodiversity, natural resources, emissions, energy security, malaria epidemics, climate change, food and water security, computer modeling, and nanotechnology safety issues.

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.