2018 Northeast Asia Regional Environmental Security Forum

Overview

The 2018 Northeast Asia Regional Environmental Security Forum took place 18-21 September, 2018 in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. It was the eighth annual environmental security event, which was organized by U.S. Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM) and the Mongolia Ministry of Defense (MOD). The event brought together partners from Northeast Asia and beyond to establish and maintain a habit of environmental security dialogue, discuss food-water-energy nexus challenges in Mongolia, and the relationship between environmental security and contingency operations. Event activities included presentations, panel sessions, work group activities, a site visit, and other exercises.

Forum Host

Mongolia Ministry of Defense

Agenda

Day 1 – Establishing an Environmental Security Habit of Dialogue

Tuesday, 18 September 2018

0800 – 0900

REGISTRATION

0900 – 0930

Opening Ceremony

Comments by:

Mr. Kurt Autderheide, Deputy Chief of Mission, U.S. Embassy – Mongolia

and Ms. T. Bulgan Director General, Department of Green Development Policy and Planning, Ministry of Environment and Tourism, Mongolia

and BG G. Saikhanbayar, Chief of Strategic Policy and Planning Department, Ministry of Defense, Mongolia

0930 – 0940

GROUP PHOTO

0940 – 0950

Administrative Reminders

COL Lhundev Battsengel, Vice Director, National Defense University, Mongolia

0950 – 1020

Environmental Security Opportunities through the State Partnership Program

Colonel Kimberly DeRouen Slaven, Chief of the Joint Staff, Alaska National Guard, USA

1020 – 1040

BREAK

1040 – 1100

USINDOPACOM Environmental Security Overview

Mr. Christopher Sholes, Environmental Program Manager, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, USA

1100 – 1120

Mongolia Environmental Security Overview

Ms. T. Bulgan, Director General, Department of Green Development Policy and Planning, Ministry of Environment & Tourism, Mongolia

1120 – 1140

China Environmental Security Overview

COL Xie Chaoxin, Professor, Army Logistics University, People’s Liberation Army, China

1140 – 1200

Korea Environmental Security Overview

Mr. Sung Gil Soo, Director, Environmental Cooperation Team, Ministry of National Defense, Republic of Korea

1200 – 1300

WORKING LUNCH

1300 – 1345

Northeast Asia Environmental Security Panel Session

Moderated by Mr. Christopher Sholes, Environmental Program Manager, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, USA

1345 – 1400

Habit of Environmental Security Dialogue Activity Overview

Mr. Justin Pummell, Geographer, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, USA

1400 – 1430

BREAK

1430 – 1600

Habit of Dialogue – Initial Session

1600 – 1615

Administrative Summary

COL Lhundev Battsengel, Vice Director, National Defense University, Mongolia

1830 – 2000

ICEBREAKER

Soyombo Hall, Officer Palace
Reception by Mongolia Deputy Vice Minister of Defense

Day 2 – Food-Water-Energy-Nexus

Wednesday, 19 September 2018

0855 – 0900

Administrative Remarks

0900 – 0910

Introduction to Food-Water-Energy Nexus Theme

BG Chimeddorj Sosorbaram, Chief of Security and Defense Policy Studies Center, Institute for Defense Studies, National Defense University, Mongolia

0910 – 0940

Major Communicable Diseases in Livestock in Recent Years in Mongolia

Dr. Batmunkh Damdindorj, Director General, Livestock Policy, Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Light Industry, Mongolia

0940 – 1010

Dietary Reference Intakes for Mongolians

Dr. J. Tuyatsetseg, Professor and Director of Industrial Technology School, Mongolian University of Science and Technology, Mongolia

1010 – 1030

BREAK

1030 – 1100

Ecological Perspectives on Former Military Sites

Dr. Associate Professor and Lieutenant Colonel OYUNTSETSEG Luvsandash, Senior Specialist of Strategic Policy and Planning Department, Ministry of Defense, Mongolia

1100 – 1130

State Policy on Energy Sector

Mr. Sh. Ganzorig, Specialist of Policy and Planning Department, Ministry of Energy, Mongolia

1130 – 1200

Food-Water-Energy Nexus Panel Session

Moderated by BG Chimeddorj Sosorbaram, Chief of Security and Defense Policy Studies Center, Institute for Defense Studies, National Defense University, Mongolia

1200 – 1300

WORKING LUNCH

1300 – 1315

Site Visit Summary

COL Lhundev Battsengel, Vice Director, National Defense University, Mongolia

1315 – 1700

SITE VISIT “SHAR KHAD” INSTITUTION

Stop 1 – Soil Contamination Caused by Waste

Stop 2 – Soil and Environmental Pollution Caused by Household Wastewater

Stop 3 – Tsagaan Davaa Dump Site and It’s Impact on the Military

Day 3 – Environmental Security in Contingency Operations

Thursday, 20 September 2018

0900 – 0905

Administrative Remarks

0905 – 0915

Introduction to Contingency Operations Theme

Brigadier Craig Dobson, Director General Support (J1/J4), Headquarters Joint Operations Command (DGSPT HQJOC), Australia

0915 – 0935

Environmental Security as a Cause / Threat to Instability

COL Mike Goodyer, Senior Environmental Planner, SPT Branch, Headquarters Joint Operations Command, Australia

0935 – 0955

The United Nations and Environmental Peacebuilding

Dr. Lisa Guppy, Disaster and Conflict Regional Coordinator (Asia/Pacific, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)

0955 – 1015

Heritage Under Fire: Preservation and Protection of Heritage

LCDR Andrea Argirides (Royal Australian Navy), PhD, Deputy Chief Joint Effects Headquarters Joint Operations Command, Australia

1015 – 1045

BREAK

1045 – 1105

Benefits of Incorporating International Standards into Contingency Operations Planning

MAJ Travis Collins, Environmental Planner, Headquarters Joint Operations Command, Australia

1105 – 1200

Environmental Security Contingency Operation Panel Session

Moderated by Brigadier Craig Dobson, Director General Support (J1/J4), Headquarters Joint Operations Command (DGSPT HQJOC), Australia

1200 – 1300

WORKING LUNCH

1300 – 1315

Contingency Operations Exercise Summary

MAJ Travis Collins, Environmental Planner, Headquarters Joint Operations Command, Australia

1315 – 1415

Contingency Operations Table-Top Exercise: Session 1

1415 – 1445

BREAK

1445 – 1545

Contingency Operations Table-Top Exercise: Session 2

1545 – 1600

Administrative Summary

COL Lhundev Battsengel, Vice Director, National Defense University, Mongolia

Day 4 – Maintaining an Environmental Security Habit of Dialogue

Friday, 21 September 2018

0900 – 0905

Administrative Remarks

0905 – 0930

Identifying, Evaluating, and Selecting Environmental Security Projects

COL Jeffrey Bryan, Civil Affairs, J9, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command

0930 – 0940

Proposed Future Environmental Security Project for Mongolia

COL Lhundev Battsengel, Vice Director, National Defense University

0940 – 1000

Proposed Future Environmental Security Project for Mongolia

Dr. Associate Professor and Lieutenant Colonel OYUNTSETSEG Luvsandash, Senior Specialist of Strategic Policy and Planning Department, Ministry of Defense, Mongolia

1000 – 1015

Habit of Environmental Security Dialogue Review

Mr. Justin Pummell, Geographer, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, USA

1015 – 1045

BREAK

1045 – 1145

Habit of Dialogue – Review Session

1145 – 1150

Australia – USA Dialogue Summary

1150 – 1155

China – USA Dialogue Summary

1155 – 1200

Japan – USA Dialogue Summary

1200 – 1205

Korea – USA Dialogue Summary

1205 – 1210

Mongolia – USA Dialogue Summary

1210 – 1215

New Zealand – USA Dialogue Summary

1215 – 1315

WORKING LUNCH

1315 – 1345

2019 Pacific Environmental Security Forum Proposal

Ms. Jane Neilson, Climate Change and Security Policy, Ministry of Defence, New Zealand

1345 – 1445

Environmental Security Forum After-Action Review by Country

Moderated by Col Mike Matheis, Civil Engineer, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, USA

1445 – 1500

Participant Evaluation Forms

1500 – 1530

BREAK

1530 – 1545

Closing Ceremony

Comments by:

Brigadier General Thomas J. Tickner, Commander, Pacific Ocean Division, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, United States of America

and

Mr. T. Dulamdorj, Vice Minister of Defense, Mongolia

1545 – 1600

Certificate and Photo Distribution

Gallery

Event Documents:

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What Does The Partnership Do?

The Partnership broadly conceptualizes environmental security as safeguarding against vulnerabilities induced by the abundance or scarcity of environmental assets and/or degradation. The Working Groups implement training and capacity building activities to improve the ability of partner nations to plan for and manage environmental security challenges.

IPESP Partners

The Partnership includes four working groups, which help shape the mission, maintain structure and sustainability, and provide clear lines to accomplish organizational objectives.