Risk Management differs in some ways from Crisis Management. And “risk”? What “risks”? Basically you need to clarify if you analyse risks from the point of view of the business world, the economic world or in terms of civil society.

Crisis management – structure, organization, and routines – are partly developed on the basis of experiences. You may develop an emergency plan on several different levels. However, the world of today is faced with new situations that could also be considered as emergencies. Examples that could be mentioned are :

• the shortage of oil as an instrument of warfare,
• the need for a deeper understanding of terrorism if we are to fight it,
• establishing an international organization system,
• mapping the complexity of climate change.

Should we adopt the attitude “Don’t worry, be happy! ?” Or should we encourage common sense from early childhood and educate children to be responsible citizens with their own critical judgement ? A democratic system relies on a certain quantity of educated people and can only function when the citizens have confidence in the political system, including risk and emergency management services aimed at protecting the safety of people.

New challenges are emerging. How can these risks be dealt with if society seems to be increasingly consumer-orientated ? The risks of developing parallel societies with ethnic groups are obvious. And what about the privatization of critical infrastructures and a new nationalism we are facing. Political solutions are needed !

Meanwhile the EU Commission has elaborated new strategies for developing a civil protection system in Europe. The social inclusion of citizens in such a civil protection system could pave the way for new political and social thinking. We must avoid creating civil protection clients.

Recommendations therefore need to be made. For example, “global sustainable responsibility” should be taken into account in almost everything we do on this planet. Moreover, in a globalized world, some kind of standardisation is highly important as a precondition for cooperation.

To innovate in social systems we also need some sort of think tank. International organizations that were established after the last world war (UN, IMF, WB and WTO) require a restructuring. To develop new experiences and to test our systems we furthermore need simulation exercises, exercises, exercises ! But besides these priorities, maybe the most obvious challenge is training to be prepared for surprises.