Ebook: CBRN Security Culture in Practice

Evolving threats of chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) attack make it imperative to explore and shape an appropriate human capacity-building to find ways of supporting global efforts against the proliferation of WMD and terrorism. As humans are ultimately responsible for security, cultural improvement is an absolute prerequisite for mitigating the threat posed by these materials. Though the CBRN fields have disparate characteristics, aspects of security for all of them share a common culture.

The Centre for International Trade and Security, in partnership with the Non-Proliferation Centre of Armenia, organized a NATO Advanced Study Institute on CBRN Security Culture, held on June 9-13, 2014 in Yerevan, Armenia. The event was one of a series organized by the Centre under its multi-year Strategic Plan for the Promotion of CBRN Security Culture. The concept of CBRN Security Culture can be defined as “An assembly of beliefs, attitudes, and patterns of behaviour that can reinforce or complement operating procedures, rules, and practices, as well as professional standards and ethics designed to achieve CBRN non-proliferation goals and prevent CBRN terrorism.”

For five days, over 40 international experts from Europe, North Africa, Central Asia, the Middle East and the United States convened to ascertain the state of security culture in the chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) domains and to determine whether a comprehensive approach to CBRN Security Culture is feasible and desirable. A major goal of the event was to promote the concept of a CBRN security culture, as well as to introduce assessment and enhancement methodologies which would enable countries to optimize the role of the human factor in dealing with their international obligations and United Nations Security Council Resolution 1540. This volume reflects the presentations and deliberations of workshop participants, which will hopefully be of interest to governments, international organizations, researchers, and practitioners interested in the human dimension of the security of CBRN materials.