26 November 2007
Energy and Environmental Challenges Need Redoubled Transatlantic Efforts
The transatlantic community has to redouble its efforts in addressing contemporary energy and environmental challenges, as they will have a substantial impact on the global security situation and on the future of our planet overall. This was the underlying message of the workshop on “Energy and Environmental Challenges to Security” held in Budapest from 21-23 November. The workshop was co organised by the Regional Environmental Center (REC), the NATO PA and the Hungarian Parliament and was funded by the NATO Science for Peace and Security Programme. Some 35 members of the Assembly, representing two Committees – the Economics and Security and the Science and Technology Committees - attended the workshop.
With regard to energy security, Ambassador Istvan Gyarmati, Director of the International Centre for Democratic Transition, Hungary, noted that Russia is effectively pursuing the old-fashioned policy of Realpolitik, which creates tension with the increasingly post-modern actors such as the European Union. He urged European nations to come to terms with the new reality and to adopt a united approach towards Russia, as well and to develop a common energy policy.
Dr Gal Luft, Executive Director of the Institute for the Analysis of Global Security, emphasised that the democratic world is increasingly dependent on the Middle East, which also poses an array of serious global security problems. He suggested that the West would have to develop the capacity to resist its vulnerability to this region’s turmoil, in part, by developing oil reserves and by promoting new technological solutions that will reduce Western dependence on oil, particularly in the transportation sector.
Climate change was another important theme of the workshop. There was consensus among the participants that urgent and concerted global action is needed to slow down and reverse climate change. Failure to do so could have dire consequences by triggering mass migration, fomenting increased competition for food and water, precipitating natural disasters and causing the spread of disease. At the moment, no one single technological solution will significantly reduce global dependence on hydrocarbons. This end can only be achieved by a complex of measures, including the promotion of nuclear energy, renewables and greater energy efficiency. In addition, further progress is needed in developing carbon capture and storage technologies and in halting and reversing deforestation. Participants also expressed their hope that the upcoming UN meeting in Bali will develop a new, more robust, ambitious and universal post-Kyoto framework, which would include carbon reduction obligations for all parties, including rapidly developing countries such as India and China.
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Roberta Calorio
Rose-Roth Seminar and Media Relations co-ordinator
Executive Office
NATO Parliamentary Assembly
International Secretariat
Place du Petit Sablon 3
1000 Brussels
Belgium
' +32 2 504 8154 (Direct Line)
' +32 2 513 2865 (Switchboard)
1 +32 2 514 1847
* rcalorio@nato-pa.int
Website: www.nato-pa.int
Roberta Calorio
Rose-Roth Seminar and Media Relations co-ordinator
Executive Office
NATO Parliamentary Assembly
International Secretariat
Place du Petit Sablon 3
1000 Brussels
Belgium
' +32 2 504 8154 (Direct Line)
' +32 2 513 2865 (Switchboard)
1 +32 2 514 1847
* rcalorio@nato-pa.int
Website: www.nato-pa.int