NATO Activities in Environmental Protection and Security

The ICER is involved in various NATO activities in the areas of environmental protection and security.

It is not so well known that, in addition to its political and military dimensions, NATO has a "third dimension" which considers some of the challenges facing our modern society, including environmental security, and fosters the development of science and technology to help meet these challenges.

For example the ICER was funded by the NATO Scientific and Environmental Affairs Division to conduct a NATO Advanced Research Workshop in Visegrád, Hungary. NATO also funded the ICER to conduct an Advanced Study Institute in Dubna, Russia on chemical separations technology. Since 1991, the NATO Pilot Study on Evaluation of Technologies for the Treatment of Contaminated Land and Groundwater has been organized by the ICER in conjunction with the Pilot Study directors.

Shown in the photo (right) is Dr. Walter W. Kovalick, Jr. (at microphone), Director of the Technology Innovation Office of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Pilot Study co-director, with Jean-Claude Antonini, Lord Mayor of Angers, France. (Mr. Stephen James, who is also with the EPA and is the other Pilot Study co-director, is not shown in the photo.) This picture was taken during the meeting of the NATO/CCMS Pilot Study to evaluate technologies for the treatment of contaminated land and ground-water.

Mr. John Moerlins shown in the smaller photo (right), Director of the ICER, directs the activities which support the Pilot Study meetings. Previous meetings in the United States, Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom, Germany, Austria and Hungary also were organized by the ICER in conjunction with host country representatives.