Environmental Security and Public Safety

Although the end of the Cold War has paved the way to a substantial demilitarisation and conversion, the leftovers of this process – such as former military installations, military training areas, and huge quantities of unserviceable ammunition and equipment – still pose a severe threat to the environment of both NATO and Partner countries.The rehabilitation of these areas for civilian uses is extremely costly and is generally in the short and medium term not possible. For this reason, the development of new methods for the estimation avoidance of risks should receive special priority. In the context of this ARW, the reconnaissance and appraisal of conversion areas with respect to costs, returns, and legal considerations were discussed. The decades-long use of some areas led to the heavy loading of contaminates. Every task of conversion has as its goal the elimination of dangers to humans and nature, and the return of areas to civil use, such that these areas can be used realise economic interests of the society.The conversion of former military areas represents one of the greatest challenges of the 21st Century, and demands considerable expenditures on the part of society if it is to be properly addressed. Further discussion of these issues and the recognition of the need for further research are important steps towards the return of former military areas to civilian usage.

Proceedings of the NATO Advanced Research Workshop on Environmental Security and Public Safety - Problems and Needs in Conversion Policy and Research after 15 Years of Conversion in Central & Eastern Europe, Cottbus, Germany, 8-12 October 2005

The end of the Cold War paved the way to a substantial demilitarization and conversion, but has left many open issues. Former military installations, military training areas, and huge quantities of unserviceable ammunition and equipment pose a severe threat to the environment of both NATO and Partner countries. This volume includes the perspectives and conversion strategies of both Western and Eastern states.

Preface.- List of Contributors.- Potential Hazards Caused by Former Military Training Areas in the Days of Terrorism; A. Döring.- Military Sector and Environmental Protection in Estonia: Challenges from 1991 to Today; A. Rekker.-Conversion in an Environmental and Safety Context: the Roles of Actors and the Double Impact Problem – A Finnish Perspective of a Transnational Issue; J. Ahlman et al.- Strategic Security Environment and the Transition of the Bulgarian Armed Forces; P.S. Gramatikov.- Responsibilities of Owners of Former Military Sites in Germany; W. Spyra.- Risk Assessment for the Former Military Training Aera 'Döberitzer Heide'; M. Katzsch.- Mobile Systems for Chemical Weapons Demilitarisation: Recovery, Identification and Disposal; K. Babievsky, E. Aleksandrov.- Application of Cost-Effective Technologies in the Process of Clean-up and Conversion of Former Military Base in Borne Sulinowo; S. Neffe et al.- The Former Military Traning Area Königsbrück and Nature Reserve Königsbrücker Heide in the Context of Regional Politics with Particular Consideration of Hazards and Public Safety from the Viewpoint of the Site Owner; I. Werners.- Hazards Typically Associated with Different Conversion Sites and Investigation Strategies for Historic Military Land-Use Analysis and Risk Assessment; K. Winkelmann.- The Fortress of Kaunas: History Present Situation and Conversion Challenges; N. Jarmalaviciute, R. Strazdas.- Military Area Revival in the Czech Republic: a Case Study from the City of Hradec Králové – Different Eras, Different Approaches; V. Šilhánková.- Concepts in Environmental Security in Central and Eastern Europe – The Legacy of War; W.C. King.- UXO Field Identification Database: A Tool for OXO Clearance; G. Fricke.- Consequences of Contaminant Liquidation at Former Military Installations; B. Zlobenko, V. Kadoshnikov.- The Ecological Condition of Kadji-Sai Uranium Tailings; A.K. Tynybekov, M.S. Aliev.- Major Problems Faced after theWithdrawal of the Soviet Army from Moldova; S. Galitchi.- Index.-