"CSCM - WORLD CONGRESS ON CHEMICAL, BIOLOGICAL, RADIOLOGICAL AND
NUCLEAR SCIENCE & CONSEQUENCE MANAGEMENT"
11-17 April, 2015, Hotel Westin, Zagreb, Croatia
CSCM International Organizing and Scientific Committees Report
This report summarizes the "CSCM - World Congress on CBRNe Science &
Consequence Management" held in Zagreb, Croatia, 11-17 April 2015, and a two-days
workshop entitled "Enhancing Information Security Management Systems: Defending
CBRN-related Information, Materials, and Facilities from Evolving Threats - An EU
CBRN Centres of Excellence Project 19 Workshop" held 11-12 April and "Chemical
Weapons Convetion Seminar" held 8-10 April prior to the World Congress.
The World Congress and pre-congress events were attended by nearly 300 CBRNe
professionals from around the globe. Both the workshop and World Congress were hosted
and organized under the auspices of the Government of the Republic of Croatia, and by:
- Ministry of Interior
- National Rescue and Protection Directorate
- Ministry of Defense
- Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs
- Ministry of Science, Education and Sport
- RACVIAC - Regional Arms Control Verification and Implementation Assistance
Centre, Zagreb, Croatia,
- OSDIFE - Observatory on Security and CBRNe Defense, Italy
- College of Occupational Safety and Health, Zagreb , Croatia
- Faculty of Textile Technology, University of Zagreb, and
- Institute Ruđer Bošković, Zagreb, Croatia
Major Sponsors included:
- OPCW - Organisation for the Prevention of Chemical Weapons
- EU CBRN Centres of Excellence
- UNICRI - United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute
- EUCOM - U.S. European Command, USA
- DTRA - Defense Threat Reduction Agency, USA
- Battelle Memorial Institute, USA
- MRIGlobal, USA, and
- Emergent-Biosolutions, USA
Sponsors included:
- DOK-ING, Zagreb, Croatia
- CRISTANINI, Italy
- 908 Devices Inc., USA
- Tourist Board Zagreb, Croatia
- Croatian Chamber of Economy (CCE)
Co-Sponsors included:
- Protekta, Croatia
- Tracerco, UK
CSCM Congress Technical organizer was URKA, d.o.o./PerfectMeetings, Zagreb, Croatia
Supporters:
- Croatian Cluster Competitiveness of the Defense Industry, and
- Croatian Crisis Management Association, Croatia
CSCM Media/Press partners:
- CBNW - Chemical, Biological & Nuclear Warfare Journal, UK
- CBRNE - Terrorism Newsletter, Greece
- Exchange Monitor Publications and Forums, USA and
- MCIF - Medical Corps International Forum, Germany
Principal themes at the 2015 World Congress included Comprehensive Scientific
Approach to CBRNe Threats and Consequence Management. The objectives of the CSCM
Congress traditionally include:
- bring together professionals concerned with the scientific, technical, and policy aspects
of problems associated with CBRN and WMD threats;
- explore scientific, medical, operational and policy aspects of CBRN warfare and
terrorism; and
- consider the effects of CBRN agents wrongly used, intentional or accidental, on the
community and individuals, military and civilian, and on related government
infrastructure.
Three-hundred (300) participants from 38 countries attended the World Congress,
Workshop and Seminar. The participants included industry, government, and academic
professionals with an interest in CBRN threats, whether the threat is from war, terrorist
actions, accidents or incidents, or is natural or man-made. The event was designed for
defense professionals; toxicology, medical, public health and medical research professionals;
local, regional, and national laboratory representatives; first responders and Hazardous
Materials (HAZMAT) specialists, including emergency, crisis management and mitigation,
and civil defense personnel; and, defense and security industry scientists, engineers and
senior policy makers.
The CSCM - World Congress on Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear
Science & Consequence Management continues the tradition from previous Congresses
with pre-congress events as an introduction in the Congress, workshop "Enhancing
Information Security Management Systems: Defending CBRN-related Information,
Materials, and Facilities from Evolving Threats - An EU CBRN Centres of Excellence
Project 19 Workshop" held 11-12 April and "Chemical Weapons Convetion Seminar"
held 8-10 April 2015.
The Workshop was successfully organized by UNICRI United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research
Institute and EU CBRN Centers of Excellence and chaired
by Mr. Clifford Glantz from Pacific Northwest National
Laboratory, USA. The workshop included very interesting
presentations with 60 participants from over 27 countries in
attendance. This workshop is intended for CBRN decision
makers, including program and system managers, key staff
members, and regulatory personnel who have roles in
maintaining the security of CBRN-related information, data exchange mechanisms, materials,
and facilities. This workshop was developed in support of the EU CBRN Centre of
Excellence’s Project 19, which objectives include developing and disseminating best
practices, procedures, and guidelines for the deployment, operation, and maintenance of
information security programs to safeguard CBRN materials that are under regulatory control.
Presenters at this workshop included information system and data security experts from the
US Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, the UK’s National Nuclear
Laboratory, and the University of Glasgow in Scotland.
The Seminar was organized by RACVIAC - Centre for Security Cooperation, Zagreb,
Croatia and the OPCW - Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, Den Hague,
The Netherlands. The seminar was attended by 25 participants, namely three from each of
the following countries: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Republic of Croatia, the Former
Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Montenegro and Republic of Serbia and one from
Romania and Republic of Turkey. The purpose of this seminar is to discuss relevant issues
related to the CWC and provide a broad overview of the CWC implementation procedures
with specific focus on legislative aspects, requirements as well as administrative and
regulatory measures in implementing the Convention.
Congress started on Monday 13 April with Opening, official welcome and
Introductions, and a brief talks and remarks by Dr. Stef Stienstra, CSCM Congress
Executive Director, Prof. Roberto Mugavero, President of OSDIFE - Observatory on
Security and CBRNe Defense, Italy, Brigadier General Zdravko Jakop, Deputy Director of
RACVIAC, Centre for Security Cooperation, Zagreb, Croatia, Dr. sc. Jadran Perinić,
Director of the National Protection and Rescue Directorate, with official welcome and
congress opening by Prof. dr. sc. Ivan Pejić, Assistant Minister, Ministry of Science,
Education and Sports of the Republic of Croatia.
The ceremonial opening of the Congress was followed by interesting presentations of
key-note speakers: Dr. Daniel M. Gerstein, Former Under Secretary for Science &
Technology (Acting), U.S. Department of Homeland Security, USA; Mr. Odhran James
McCarthy, UNICRI, CBRN Risk Mitigation and Security Governance Programme; Mr.
Clifford Glantz, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, USA; Mr. Michael Thornton,
Institute for the Protection and Security of the Citizen (IPSC), European Commission - Joint
Research Centre; Mr. Paul Boren, DTRA Building Partner Capacity in Europe; Major
Andrea Gloria, PROT Course Director & Instructor, Protection Department,
NATO School Oberammergau, Germany; Mr. Mladen Pemper, Head of Counter Terrorism
Department, Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Croatia and Col. Jaroslav Borek, Joint
Chemical Biological Radiological and Nuclear Defence Centre of Excellence (JCBRN
Defence COE).
CSCM Congress Opening with Official Welcome and Introductions
The scientific part of the congress was held in the ten sectors and fourteen sessions.
During the seven-day CSCM Congress, Pre-congress Workshop on Information Security
Management Systems and Chemical Weapons Convention Seminar was presented 88
lectures as well as 8 poster presentations, on diverse topics such as Comprehensive
Scientific Approach to CBRNe Threats and Consequence Management, which was focused
on detection and identification of CBRN contaminants, radiological exposure with depleted
uranium, protection, decontamination, verification and forensics, medical treatment, Ebola
Virus Disease (EVD) outbreak threat, robotics and automation systems in CBRNe threats,
and CBRN Counter-proliferation.
The Chemical Threat Sector was chaired by Dr. Ashis Mohapatra, Canada and Dr.
Levent Kenar, Turkey, included one session with 5 presentations covering new antidotes
and medical aspects of treatment in case of chemical warfare agent’s use, and new
mechanisms in the pathogenesis of skin chemical warfare agents. Lecturers also presented
improving of CBRN forensic capabilities and monitoring of the most common sites for
spreading hazardous substances, especially CBR agents.
The Nuclear/Radiological Threat Sector was chaired by Prof. Asaf Durakovic,
USA, Frank Klimaschewski, Germany and William Sumner, USA, included two sessions
with 10 excellent and very interesting presentations covering medical effects of low-level
radiation and internal contamination and further controversy on Depleted Uranium. Also was
presented possibilities of the use radioactive materials in hostile purposes, radiological and
toxicological threat and health consequences - lessons learned from Depleted Uranium, and
current reality of the multiple risk potentials of Nuclear Proliferation. Very interesting was
presentation of the emergency readiness and management (BERAM) for Mass Casualties
Radiological Events after usage of Radiation Dispersal Device.
The Biological Threat Sector was very successfully chaired by Dr. Stef Stienstra,
CSCM Congress executive director from the Netherlands and Dr. Kay van der Horst, USA,
included four sessions with 17 interesting presentations. The first three sessions included
excellent presetations and discusions on very important aspects of Ebola Virus Disease
outbreak threat in order to inform future clinical, scientific and regulatory decision-making
related to medical preparedness programs and development of new therapies and
countermeasures, including all other procedures, treatments, vaccines, diagnostic tests, and
personal protective equipment.
Particularly interesting was the session Black Sea Region Biosafety and Biosecurity
chaired by Mr. Mason Soule from USA and Dr. Mzia Kutateladze from Georgia, whose
lectures presented all the protection and prevention procedures and preparedness in case of
intentional or accidental spreading of infectious diseases, specifically biological and toxin
warfare agents.
The Sector Existing and Future Civil-Military Systems Interlocking to address
the New CBRNe Challenges: A Comprehensive, Integrated and Multidimensional
Approach, was under the chairmanship of Prof. Roberto Mugavero and Dr. Enrico
Alessandro Risso from Italy, included one session with 5 presentations covering very
interesting new approaches to detection, medical treatment and decontamination, and
reducing the impacts and possible consequences of the weapons of mass destruction,
CBRN pre-hospital response and impact profiling of Chemical, Biological, Nuclear and
Radiological Incidents. In most lectures the importance of Civil-Military Cooperation in CBRN
Defense was emphasized.
Sector Crisis Consequence Management, chaired by LTC Ed Locke and LTC
Jeffrey Allen from USA, included two sessions with 12 presentations. Session CBRN
Consequence Management and military support to first responders, Crisis Communications
and CBR Incident Management demonstrated very successfully new approaches of
consequence management of crises and Mass Casualty Incidents such as terrorism that
uses chemical, biological and radiological agents and weapons.
The Protective materials, clothing and equipment against CBRN threats Sector,
was chaired by Prof. Sandra Bischof and Prof. Edita Vujasinović, from Croatia, included 5
very interesting presentations on protective textiles. This sector was prepared by scientists
from the Faculty of Textile Technology, University of Zagreb and presented new insights and
approaches to the materials that successfully protect against the effects of chemical,
biological and toxin contaminants.
Robotics and Automation Systems, was under the chairmanship of Prof. dr. sc.
Zvonko Orehovec and Mr. Gordan Pešić from Croatia, included one session with 5 very
interesting presentations on robotic and automation systems in the energy sector and in the
Military, Police and Industry security to control due CBRN threats especially in detection and
identifying and resolving any problem of dangerous situations that can’t be performed by
human beings.
Emerging Issues - New Scientific and Technological (S&T) Developments
Relevant to CBRNe Threats chaired by Prof. Peter Leitner, USA and Dr Sander Banus,
The Netherlands, included 5 very interesting presentations in which lecturers presented new
scientific and technological approaches to the CBRNe Threats.
Counter proliferation - CBRNe Threat Assessment & Information Sharing Technology, Emerging Trends and Threats chaired by Mr. Peter Lejeune from USA and
Mr. Mike Thornton from EU Institute for the Protection and Security of the Citizen (IPSC),
European Commission - Joint Research Centre, consisted also of 5 interesting presentations.
Lecturers presented national counterproliferation planning and emerging threats, and Cyber
terrorism as CBRNe terrorism catalyst and generator of new threats.
A highlight of the World Congress was on the traditional a live field Congress
exercise, which was actively participated by: Anti-Terrorist Unit Lučko, Special Police,
Croatian Ministry of Interior; DUZS-National Protection and Rescue Directorate, Croatia;
DTRA-Defense Threat Reduction Agency, Stuttgart, USA – Germany; 773rd Civil Support
Team, USADOK-ING - Robotic mine clearance and fire-fighting systems, Croatia and Fire
Brigade - DVD Stubička Slatina, Zagreb, Croatia.
CSCM Congress exercise was organized by LTC. Jeffrey Allen from USA and Prof.
Dr. sc. Zvonko Orehovec from Croatia. The exercise was aimed at the contemporary
scientific and technical basis of practical and usable display real achievements in the
development and use of robotic systems in the war on contemporary unconventional
terrorism and organized crime. Also, the object of the exercise was to display the capabilities
of Croatian companies in the production of modern robotic systems and Croatian security
system in response to new threats in circumstances surrounding the accession of Croatia to
the EU and its ability to ensure the Schengen border.
CSCM Congress Exercise
It was concluded that this CSCM Congress in scientific terms was very successful
and had the strong support of scientists and experts, and active participants of the congress.
All papers from congress and workshop will be presented in the Proceedings which will be
published and printed three months after the Congress.
CSCM Congress Closing Remarks
At the end of the Congress, the International Organizing and Scientific Committees
held a meeting where they discussed future directions of the CSCM conferences.
From that meeting the official representative from the Republic of Georgia, Mr.
Konstantin Elizbarashvili announced that the next CSCM Congress which will be held in
Georgia in 2016.
LTC Dr. Slavko Bokan (CMOD Ret)
CSCM Chair
Col. Prof. Dr. Zvonko Orehovec (CMOD Ret)
CSCM Executive Director