NATO ARW on Environmental Security: Water Security, Management and Control

In recent years there has been a growing need for the development of tools for environmental security assessment and for the management of environmental security issues. In this context, emerging risks about water resources and their relationship with more general environmental security concerns are particularly relevant. The assessment of critical environmental factors is a necessary step for the prevention of conflict. These factors, especially in most of the African continent, have been identified in land use practices, deforestation, water scarcity, and water quality. The three-day ARW will explore different aspects of the environmental security assessment process, focusing on the assessment, monitoring and management of resources, with an overview of the related scientific knowledge. The workshop is organised into sessions covering specific topics. Scientific sessions will begin with an outlook of the emerging risks, seen from the point of view of experts in law and environmental rights, will go through the discussion of large scale and local scale monitoring frameworks, and will include an overview of existing methods and technologies for the identification of water resources, quality assessment and treatment. A session about selected case studies completes the scientific program of the ARW. The idea to split the ARW into several short and sequential scientific sessions derives from the concept to provide an overview, which, although not exhaustive, will permit coverage of a wide range of interconnected topics which are critical to both scientists and policymakers. In order to facilitate the networking among participants, the simulation of a hypothetical water security problem completes this three-day program. The simulation will engage participants to work interactively on a problem-solving exercise, by assembling cross-disciplinary groups, in order to enhance networking and collegiality among participants. The final wrap-up phase of this ARW is intended to involve scientists, professionals and invited policymakers (government officials and stakeholders) in a discussion of how to promote a better link between relevant Parties. After resuming the main outcomes of the Scientific Sessions by the Rapporteurs, a final roundtable will take place. The format of this roundtable will be kept flexible and open to the contribution of every participant or invited auditor. This will be an opportunity for showing activities, programs, project ideas or stimulate some discussion on shared topics, connected with the development of the Workshop. To promote this additional networking opportunity, all the interested people are invited to actively participate in this session.