2010 Security Jam

The online Security Jam’s goal has been to bring together actors across the entire spectrum of the international community to brainstorm on the changing nature of the 21st century security landscape. The overarching question was ‘how can international actors and institutions respond to new security challenges?’

Held over fi ve days, the Security Jam proved itself a catalyst for creative thinking by experts, GOs, national government decision makers and international institutions, industry representatives, soldiers, journalists, scholars and opinion leaders. Ten forums took stock of different security challenges and produced dozens of innovative ideas for improving security policies.

The main theme discussed by the 3,815 participants from 124 countries during the online Jam was how can the EU and NATO work together to protect our security interests in today’s rapidly changing world order? With the EU getting to grips with the changes wrought by the Lisbon Treaty and NATO on the verge of launching its new Strategic Concept it was unsurprising that EU and NATO collaboration was by far and away the most discussed theme in the Jam. Almost 10 per cent of all posts across forums centred on this key issue.

This report presents a shortlist of the 10 most pertinent recommendations with a brief snapshot of the relevance of the Security Jam as a communication tool. The report then provides a more detailed look at each of these recommendations in the context of their development in the Security Jam. Building on the Jam discussions, the fi nal section of this report offers an overview of the evolving security landscape.

This reflects the uncertainty expressed in many of the Jam discussions that hybrid threats and fragile powers will probably make the world a more unpredictable place. The clear message from the Jam is that better strategic planning and a comprehensive approach to security will be imperative if the EU and NATO are to maintain stability in their neighbourhood and to build bridges with other
protagonists like China, Russia, India and Brazil.

The emerging multipolar order is composed of fragile powers and will be even less stable than in the two decades since the fall of the Berlin Wall. But interdependence will not automatically produce cooperation – not even within the EU or NATO. The shifting balance of power will create uncertainty, and in the current climate of economic insecurity
could lead to fi ercer resource competition. The proposals contained in this report are therefore intended to help the EU and NATO maintain peace and security in our globalised but politically fragmented world.

The main challenge for the EU and NATO will be to improve internal coherence and to create a safer periphery. Second, the objective should be to develop a new security consensus with other major players. However, security in today’s increasingly fragmented world requires the EU and NATO to overcome their internal divisions. Practical proactive steps are required to achieve this and to avoid
a divergence between capabilities and the threats of the new security landscape.