NATO chief warns against relying on few countries for green tech

By Burak Bir

LONDON (AA) - NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg warned Friday that countries should not make the "same mistake" by being too dependent on a few countries about green energy.

Speaking at a panel organized by the Munich Security Conference in Dubai on the sidelines of the COP28 Summit, Stoltenberg highlighted the link between security and climate change.

Peace, stability, and security are "extremely important to enable us to combat climate change," said the NATO chief, saying that's why NATO, as a military alliance, attends the climate summit.

"If you don't succeed in pursuing peace, you will not succeed in fighting climate change … climate change creates crisis, and crisis undermines the possibility for combating climate change," he added.

Pointing out Europe's energy dependence on Russia before launching its war on Ukraine, Stoltenberg warned that "we shouldn't make the same mistake" when it comes to clean energy technologies.

"We should not make the same mistakes as we develop new renewable energy sources," said Stoltenberg, adding that Russia used natural gas as a "tool" for its war on Ukraine.

There are a few countries that are controlling most of the technology and most of the raw materials, rare earth minerals, which are so important renewable energy, for example, solar panels or batteries, he stated.

"So we shouldn't make the same mistake being too dependent on one or two unreliable suppliers of critical commodities, raw materials when we make the energy transition," the NATO chief reiterated.

He also added that NATO is investing in programs to develop new, more environmentally friendly technologies for military vehicles for planes in a bid to reduce its carbon emissions.