Page Updated: 20-Mar-2008
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Environmental Aspects of Military Compounds

Short-Term Project

Pilot countries Germany The Netherlands USA Contact person Mr. Maarten Gijsbers mg.gijsbers@mindef.nl

Since 1990 the core business of military forces is peacekeeping operations. Military compounds house large concentrations of troops over a long period of time. Often there will be different nationalities working together and the compounds are handed over from one nation to another as troops are relieved. Environmental aspects such as the availability of safe drinking water, the treatment of waste water, the management of waste, protection of the soil, storage of hazardous materials and energy supply are vital during the complete lifecycle: design; construction; operation, handover and dismantling of these compounds. Operational environmental management is essential for military commanders to create safe living and working conditions for their soldiers, reduce the risks of complaints and claims from the local populations and avoid adverse public opinion and relations.

These are the conclusions of a workshop organized in May 2006 by Austria and the Netherlands on the “Environmental aspects of military compounds”.

Based on these conclusions a second phase was launched as a SPS Short-Term Project, with the following objectives: (1) Identify a forum or system for a regular exchange of information and co-operation in the field of environmental aspects of military compounds to enhance interoperability; (2) Evaluate the feasibility of implementing an EMS for deployed operations and prove recommendations for a way forward; (3) Formulate a range of environmental (minimum) standards for compounds over the full range of NATO-led military operations; (4) Enhance vertical and horizontal co-ordination and co-operation between the functional organisations (command, engineering, logistics, occupational health, medical, environmental, etc) at the commencement of the planning cycle by providing a generic (annotated template) Environmental Annex for standardised NATO Operations Plan as pertains to environmental issues of compounds; (5) Develop a “SPS Guidance Document for the Environmental Best Management Practises for Deployed Camps” by a Subject Matter Experts group consisting of all relevant functional organisations. In the course of this process national documentation is to be reviewed to develop an easily accessible and up to date repository. Upon completion of the Guidance Document it will be turned over to a Centre of Excellence within the NATO framework for custodianship; and (6) Ensure that training and education in this field at NATO level is being organised to achieve interoperability and provide guidance in setting up this training and education. The Guidance Document should be an integral part of this training. 

The project consist of three workshops to be held in the period Spring 2007-Summer 2008 with distinct activities in between workshops.

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