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Discussion Paper
Baltic Sea Region
Defence Environmental Co-operation
Strategy
BACKGROUND
1) Sustainable development is an overall goal for the Baltic Sea region.
2) Within its main task – to protect national sovereignty – the national defence
must take environmental responsibility.
3) Environmental problems know of no national borders, solutions to
environmental problems should therefore be cross border solutions.
4) The defence sector in many countries finds it valuable to co-operate with the
civilian sector in defence environmental work.
5) Valuable and successful defence environmental co-operation has been
conducted in the Baltic Sea region.
6) The resources for defence environmental work and co-operation regarding
such work are limited in the entire region.
7) Although there have been attempts to co-ordinate Baltic Sea region defence
environmental work, no structure for such co-ordination has been established
yet.
8) Improved regional co-ordination would possibly lead to more efficient use
of resources available.
9) There is a need for exchanging views between the Baltic Sea region
countries on defence environmental issues and on ways of conducting coordination of such work.
10) Peace and stability is necessary for sustainable development. Upon the
defence sector lays a special responsibility in this respect.
11) Exchanging experiences on the military expert level, establishing
continuous co-operation on the military expert level, establishing a coordination structure (on the expert level) and conducting joint defence
environmental projects would contribute to building up confidence and
promote peace and stability and ecological sustainability in the entire Baltic
Sea region.
12) There is an urgent need for action in all sectors of society – including the
defence sector – to promote sustainable development.
PURPOSE OF STRATEGY
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13) Establish framework for co-ordinated defence environmental co-operation
in the Baltic Sea region.
14 Encourage defence environmental work in the Baltic Sea region.
15) Promote efficient use of defence environmental resources in the Baltic Sea
region.
16) Contribute to confidence building in the Baltic Sea region through
environmental co-operation between military organisations and hence ensure
peace and stability.
17) Ensure sustainable development in the Baltic Sea region.
GOALS AND OBJECTIVES FOR STRATEGY
Overall goals and objectives
18) Develop defence environmental work in the Baltic Sea region.
19) Establish foundation for defence environmental co-operation in the Baltic
Sea region.
20) Establish foundation for co-ordination of defence environmental cooperation in the Baltic Sea region, involving the Baltic Sea countries and other
countries concerned by the Baltic Sea development.
21) Ensure necessary regional co-ordination in order to avoid duplication of
efforts.
22) Ensure defence sector contribution to sustainable development in the Baltic
Sea region.
23) Assist in initiating efficient defence environmental work in the Baltic Sea
region.
24) Assist in developing bilateral or multilateral defence environmental work
in the Baltic Sea region.
25) Initiate and develop environmental co-operation between military
organisations and by this promote joint views on cross border environmental
challenges.
26) Promote defence sector transparency and civil-military relationship in
defence environmental work.
27) Promote peace and stability in the Baltic Sea region through continuous
co-operation between experts of the military organisations of different
countries.
Long term goals and objectives
28) Establish joint Baltic Sea region views on defence environmental problems
and solutions to those problems.
29) Develop more environmentally friendly and aware Armed Forces in the
region, without jeopardising the main military tasks.
30) Develop knowledge and skill among military personnel at all levels.
31) Ensure and sustain close relationship and mutual understanding between
military and civilian sectors in defence environmental work in the Baltic Sea
region.
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32) Encourage continuous bilateral and multilateral defence environmental cooperation.
33) Develop close relationship between military and civilian sectors of society,
e.g. through co-operation and sharing of views and experiences.
34) Share views and experiences with other regions on regional co-operation in
this field and initiate other regions to develop regional and transregional cooperation.
Short-term goals and objectives
35) Promote defence environmental projects that can be used as models in
other sites and countries.
36) Promote defence environmental projects involving different countries in
the region, in order to support development of environmental knowledge and
skills of military personnel of particular country(ies) in the Baltic Sea region.
37) Prioritise principles of joint efforts.
38) Develop civil-military relationship in defence environmental work.
39) Develop information network.
AREAS FOR BALTIC SEA REGION DEFENCE ENVIRONMENTAL COOPERATION AND RESPONSIBILITIES
40) Possible defence environmental co-operation areas:
¤ Education and training
¤ Management plans
¤ Environmental management system
¤ Nature protection
¤ Clean up
¤ Pollution prevention
¤ Noise
¤ Waste management
¤ Energy and heat conservation
¤ Demilitarisation of ammunition and explosives
¤ Civil-military relationship
¤ Saving of resources
¤ Integrated coastal zone issues
¤ Integration of Geographical Information System (GIS) and other
technical tools into defence environmental work
¤ Practices in applications of European Union directives/regulations
and international environmental conventions
¤ Others?
41) It is the responsibility of each country to initiate and conduct its defence
environmental work.
42) Countries are encouraged to act “Lead Nation” regarding different cooperation areas and hence undertake responsibility for initiatives in this
respect.
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Annex to Strategy
WORK PLAN (initial work)
Establishment of an informal initial Working Group (Informal Secretariat)
43) The purpose of group is to ensure initial work and propose future work.
44) Which countries to participate in such a group. The group would preferably
consist of 4-6 countries/representatives.
45) Which country to act chair in the group.
Prime tasks of Informal Secretariat
46) Establish working methods for Informal Secretariat:
- The group should work in an informal way.
- The group should primarily work via e-mail in order to reduce costs
for meetings, travelling etc.
- Rotation as Chair.
- Other issues.
47) Elaborate detailed Work Plan for initial strategy work, i.e. approximately
the first year.
48) Principle considerations on:
- Informal or Permanent (formalised) Secretariat
- Decision-making regarding the final Strategy:
* political decision,
* non-political decision,
* no decision at all.
49) Based on the outcome of the Riga Conference and Informal Secretariat
considerations, elaborate proposals to Plenary Meeting on:
- Status of Strategy, i.e. formal or informal Strategy.
- Informal or Permanent (formalised) Secretariat,
- Detailed plan for ACTION (63-79, below), including
* Working methods
* Funding of Strategy administration costs
50) Together with host nation plan next Baltic Sea Region Plenary Meeting.
51) Continuously report to Baltic Sea Region MODs Point of Contacts (launch
development of Information Network).
Inventory phase
52) Inventory of other Baltic Sea region co-operation in different fields.
53) Inventory of defence environmental co-operation in other fora.
54) Inventory of existing defence environmental co-operation in the Baltic Sea
region.
55) Inventory of defence environmental co-operation in the Baltic Sea region:
- past co-operation,
- ongoing co-operation,
- planned co-operation.
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56) Inventory of country-specific needs of defence environmental activities,
see 41 above.
57) Inventory of country-specific needs of co-operation.
58) Inventory of country-specific knowledge and skill regarding different areas
in defence environmental work, i.e. where to find expert knowledge.
59) Inventory of national and international legislation and common tasks and
responsibilities concerning environmental security of the Baltic Sea region.
Vision and prioritising phase
60) Based on the results of the inventory phase, discuss prioritisation.
61) Co-operation areas that should be prioritised.
62) Countries’ needs that should be prioritised.
ACTION
Strategy Action
63) Based on the results of the above mentioned WORK PLAN (initial work)
and the Inventory and the Prioritising phases, discuss and take action.
64) Establish Several Years Strategy Action Plan.
65) Establish principles for funding of projects.
66) Initiate countries to – based on national strategies and legislation, other
national documents and the Baltic Sea Region Defence Environmental Cooperation Strategy – elaborate and launch specific projects.
67) Co-ordinate support from other countries to ongoing or planned projects.
68) Ensure regular reporting to all Baltic Sea region countries on ongoing and
finalised projects.
69) Establish and develop Information Network.
70) Initiate development of Information Database on defence environmental
activities and on bilateral and multilateral projects.
71) Conduct annual or regular evaluation of Strategy achievements; i.e.
projects, countries support and activities. Conduct annual review and up-date
of Several Years Strategy Action Plan.
Meetings
72) For joint discussions and agreements, Plenary Meetings for the Baltic Sea
Region Defence Environmental Co-operation should be held annually or as the
Plenary Meeting decides. Responsibility for Plenary Meeting should rotate
between countries involved.
73) A several year schedule for the Plenary Meetings should be established.
74) The Secretariat fulfils necessary work between the Plenary Meetings and
elaborates discussion papers and proposals for the Plenary Meetings.
75) Secretariat meets at its own decision.
76) Informal local meetings such as Baltic States Working Group meetings and
Nordic countries meetings should continue. Reports from such meetings
should be sent to the Plenary Meeting.
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Evaluation and revision
77) Assist in evaluation of finalised defence environmental projects, in order to
improve efficiency of future activities.
78) (Creating a Baltic Sea region evaluation team)
79) Possible revision.
OTHER ISSUES
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TIME LINE
80) Draft time line
2002
20-22 August
Riga Conference
* Informal Secretariat established
* Nomination of MOD Point of Contact
2003
15 January
Secretariat has elaborated Secretariat Work Plan,
including discussion paper on topics in 46-51 above.
Discussion paper circulates to Baltic Sea countries.
1 May
Response on circulated discussion paper.
1 June
Secretariat distributes questionnaire on
- past co-operation
- ongoing co-operation
- planned co-operation
Response by 1 September
15 June
Secretariat circulates paper on
* Organisational issues according to 46-51
* Other inventories according to 52-59
September-October
Next Meeting. Discussions on
* Results so far
* Status of Secretariat
* Status of Strategy (political or non-political)
* ACTION (63-79)
* When Strategy should be decided or agreed upon.
Strategy should be implemented not later than 30 June 2004
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To discuss at the Riga Conference in the Working Groups
a) Most important topics to discuss, in summary:
- The need of a strategy
- General content of strategy
- Participation in Informal Secretariat
- Nomination of MOD Point of Contact
- Next meeting
b) Principles
1. The Riga Conference is an expert level meeting. Representatives
therefore cannot be expected to make any commitments on behalf of his/her
country. Each Head of Delegation should as soon as possible after the
Conference is ended report the more official view of the country on the
Strategy issues to the Informal Secretariat.
2. Is there a need of a strategy for facilitating defence environmental
co-operation and co-ordination of such co-operation in the region?
3. Which countries are in favour of establishing a Strategy? Should
there be an informal agreement on the idea of establishing a Strategy?
4. Should a possible Strategy be a formal or an informal strategy? That
is:
- Should the strategy be a political document, decided upon by, for
instance, the Defence Ministers?
- Should the Strategy be a non-political document, agreed upon by the
Plenary Meeting experts?
- Should the Strategy be used only as informal guidelines for MOD and
Armed Forces defence environmental co-operation?
5. How to convince all countries/parties to get involved in strategy
work? In order to avoid creating political obstacles, it is important to regard the
strategy as a possibility and not as a commitment.
6. Establishing a Permanent (formalised) Secretariat?
c) Practical issues
1. Establishment of an initial Informal Secretariat. Chair and
participants, should consist of 4-6 countries/representatives.
2. Point of Contact in each Baltic Sea region country (MOD)
3. Informal Secretariat’s reporting to national PoCs
d) Strategy content
An early, non-committal, discussion on possible content, primarily
1. Purpose of Strategy
¤ What to include, what is most important
2. Goals and objectives in different ways
¤ Overall goals and objectives: what is most important to point
out as overall goals etc? Additional goals
¤ Long term goals and objectives: what is most important to
point out as such goals etc. Additional goals
¤ Short term goals and objectives: what is most important to
point out as such goals etc. Additional goals
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¤ Is it necessary with overall goals, long term goals and short
term goals? Or is it enough with just Goals and Objectives?
3. Areas for co-operation
4. “Lead Nation responsibility” for co-operation areas
5. Strategy Action
6. Time line
e) Next meeting
Host nation for next Plenary Meeting (to be held in September-October
2003?).