The Heads of State and Government of the 30 Allied countries approved, on Monday 14 June in Brussels, the ‘NATO 2030 - a transatlantic agenda for the future’.
This agenda “complements and builds on our ongoing political and military adaptation”, strengthens the Allies’ ability to deliver on the three core tasks - collective defence, crisis management and cooperative security - and contributes to making the Alliance even stronger and more ready for the future. It covers eight areas of action, according to the joint statement adopted at the summit.
“We reaffirm that NATO is the unique, essential and indispensable transatlantic forum for consultations and joint action on all matters related to our individual and collective security (and) we pledge to strengthen and broaden our consultations”, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said at the end of the summit.
Leaders also agreed that NATO should become the lead international organisation in understanding and adapting to the security implications of climate change. “We agree to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions from military activities and installations without impairing personnel safety, operational effectiveness and our deterrence and defence posture”, they announced in the statement.
The Secretary General has been asked to “formulate a realistic, ambitious and concrete target” for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by the NATO political and military structures and facilities and assess the feasibility of reaching net zero emissions by 2050. Canada has offered to host a new NATO centre of excellence on climate and security, according to Mr Stoltenberg.
The Allies also commit to strengthening their deterrence and defence, but also to improving the resilience of their societies. “Allies will develop a proposal to establish, assess, review and monitor resilience objectives to guide nationally-developed resilience goals and implementation plans”, the statement said.
Another area of action is the development of technology cooperation among Allies within NATO. For this purpose, the Allies will launch a civil-military Defence Innovation Accelerator and establish a NATO Innovation Fund, where Allies who so wish can support start-ups working on dual-use emerging and disruptive technologies in areas key to Allied security.
The Allies also intend to enhance NATO’s ability to preserve and shape the rules-based international order. They will intensify dialogue and cooperation with partners outside the Alliance, including the EU, and “significantly” develop the Alliance’s ability to support partners in the field of training and capacity building.
Finally, the leaders invite the Secretary General to lead the process of developing the next Strategic Concept for adoption at the 2022 Summit, which could be held in Spain.
“Based on requirements, we agree to increase resourcing, including as necessary, NATO common funding starting in 2023, taking into account sustainability, affordability and accountability”, the Allies stated. Speaking to the press, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that the Allies had agreed to strengthen all three NATO budgets: military, civilian and investment. Leaders have committed to approving, at their 2022 summit, the specific needs for additional funding up to 2030.
See the statement: https://bit.ly/3vxi33z (Original version Camille-Cerise Gessant)