On 20-22 November 2024, Ms Jolanta Zapkuviene, the Subject Matter Expert of the NATO ENSEC COE Doctrine and Concept Development Division, participated in the 27th MCJSB Environmental Protection Working Group (EPWG) Meeting and the 25th Anniversary Event “Challenges and opportunities for NATO related to Environmental Protection, Climate Change, and Energy Transition” of EPWG in the NATO HQ where she presented the activities of the NATO ENSEC COE and also participated in the panel discussion of the EPWG 25th Anniversary Event.
The Anniversary Event was aimed in particular at all interested parties within NATO and the military organizations of its Allies with an interest in environmental protection, climate change and energy security. The current geopolitical situation faces us with energy security concerns, supply line issues as well as climate change and security challenges. A robust and well-considered approach to environmental protection can be a cross-cutting instrument in support of mitigating issues relating to these concerns and challenges.
In 1999, NATO formally installed the EPWG under the Air Standardization Board of the Military Committee. Thus, 2024 sees the 25th anniversary of this group, currently subordinated to the MC Joint Standardization Board. It is the only and thus the most senior formal NATO committee tasked to work on Environmental Protection (EP). In the past two-and-a-half decades, the EPWG has been active in supporting EP within NATO and its nations with the production and maintenance of NATO EP Standards, terminology, support to NATO EP courses and sharing of best practices.
Today and in the future, we need to address the challenges and opportunities for NATO in Environmental Protection in the nexus of Energy Transition, Climate Change and Resource Scarcity by being pro-active, accelerating our work, looking for more synergies, increasing awareness and knowledge, and expanding our network.
