#50 - JRL 2009-164 - JRL Home
Subject: Energy, Environment and the Future of Security in Central Asia
[DOE-sponsored workshop in Rome Oct. 15-16]
Date: Wed, 2 Sep 2009
From: L. Sergio Germani <germani.sergio@gmail.com>
A DOE-sponsored workshop on “Energy, Environment and the Future of Security in Central Asia” will be held in Rome (Italy) on 15-16 October, 2009.
The workshop will explore the security implications of critical energy and environmental issues in Central Asia and will seek to generate strategic insights that will be useful for government and private-sector policy-makers around the world and in Central Asia itself.
Participation will be limited to 35-40 experts. For further information and inquiries regarding participation please contact Prof. Sergio Germani (germani.sergio@gmail.com) or go to the website
http://globaleese.org/signup/3f7b8a0ae240
TENTATIVE CONFERENCE AGENDA
ENERGY, ENVIRONMENT AND THE FUTURE OF SECURITY IN CENTRAL ASIA
Understanding the Security Implications of Critical Energy and
Environmental Issues
ROME, ITALY
15-16 OCTOBER 2009
Day 1: Thursday, 15 October 2009
9:00 Welcome remarks by representatives of the US Department of Energy, the Italian Government and the Department of Strategic Intelligence and Security
Studies of Link Campus University
9:10 Overview by lead facilitator
9:20 Keynote speaker
9:35 Panel - Developments affecting the future security and stability of Central Asian countries and of the region as a whole
Three presentations in a plenary session will provide a broad picture of “hard” and “soft” security issues in Central Asia and how they are likely to shape the region’s future strategic environment. Speakers will identify developments that are likely to enhance
stability and those that could produce greater destabilization.
10:30 Break
10:45 Panel Developments affecting the future security and stability of Central
Asian countries and of the region as a whole
Moderated Q&A discussion in plenary on the major points addressed in the presentations.
11:30 Central Asia in the next 10 years: potential risks and opportunities for
security and stability
Break-out groups will discuss potential short, medium, and long term risks and opportunities for stability in Central Asia.
12:15 Overview of the afternoon session by the lead facilitator
12:30 Lunch
13:30 Exploring Energy, Environment and Security Dynamics in Central Asia -
Round 1
Five break-out groups will discuss in parallel sessions the development and security
implications of specific energy or environment-related issues:
(1) The impact of energy revenues on the governing capacity and stability of
Central Asian states.
(2) Environmental degradation and its effects on human security, economic security
and social stability in Central Asia1.
(3) The security implications of climate change and of the water-energy-agriculture
nexus in Central Asia.
(4) Security challenges and risks of Central Asia’s anticipated expansion of
uranium production and nuclear industry.
(5) Energy and geopolitical competition in the region and its effects on the stability
of Central Asian states.
14:30 Exploring Energy, Environment and Security Dynamics - Round 2
15:30 Break
15:45 Exploring Energy, Environment and Security Dynamics - Round 3
16:45 Closing Thoughts by lead facilitator and conference coordinator
17:00 Adjourn
Day 2: Friday, 16 October 2009
9:00 Overview of Day 2 by lead facilitator
The key issues to be discussed in this group are the security implications of environmental stresses related to oil and gas production as well as of radioactive
contamination.
9:15 Clarification of key findings in each issue-area and identification of emerging
threats, risks and opportunities
The five initial break-out groups will clarify key findings and insights regarding the
possible evolution of their specific issue-area and identify emerging threats, risks and
opportunities for security and stability in Central Asia.
10:30 Break
11:00 Plenary session
Each of the break-out groups will share their key findings with the other groups in a
plenary session.
12:00 Identification of interdependencies and interconnected issues
New break-out groups will discuss the interdependencies of the five issue-areas and
how their interaction is likely to shape future Central Asian security dynamics. The groups will propose new questions that need to be addressed by expert communities and
new themes for interdisciplinary research.
13:00 Lunch
14:00 Reporting of group findings in plenary session
15:00 Review of key insights: towards a systemic picture of Central Asian security
dynamics
A moderated conversation in plenary session will highlight strategic insights
regarding the systemic interconnections between issue-areas and outline an integrated
view of Central Asian security futures.
15:45 Break
16:15 Summary of strategic insights for decision-makers
Strategic insights useful for government and private-sector decision-makers will be
summarized in a plenary session.
16:25 Keynote speaker and Q&A session
16:50 Closing remarks by conference coordinator and lead facilitator
17:00 Adjourn
The following experts will prepare papers and present them in plenary or break-out group sessions:
- Timur Berkeliev (Turkmenistan), scholar and environmentalist.
- Umed Babakhanov (Tajikistan), General Director of Asia-Plus Information Agency
(Tashkent)
- Stephen Blank (USA) Research Professor of National Security Affairs, Strategic
Studies Institute of the US Army War College.
- Gavin Hayman (UK), Campaigns Director, Global Witness (London).
- Togzhan Kassenova (Kazakhstan), Senior Research Associate, Center for
International Trade and Security (Washington DC).
- Kalia Moldogazieva (Kyrgizstan) , Director of Human Development Center " Tree of
Life".
- Indra Overland (Norway), Director, Energy Programme, Norwegian Institute of
International Affairs.
- Paul Quinn-Judge (UK) - Central Asia Project Director, International Crisis
Group (based in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan).
- Renat Perelet (Russia) , Institute for Systems Analysis, Russian Academy of Sciences
(Moscow).
- Rafik Sayfullin (Uzbekistan), security expert.
- Niklas Swanstrom (Sweden), Director, Institute for Security and Development Policy,
Stockholm.
- Erika Weinthal (USA), Associate Professor of Environmental Policy, Duke
University.
Conference coordinator: Sergio Germani, Academic Director of the Department of
Strategic Intelligence and Security Studies of Link Campus University (Rome, Italy).
Lead facilitator: Alain Wouters, Managing Director of Whole Systems (Brussels,
Belgium)
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