Sapiens 1626
Sapiens 1626
Sapiens 1626
diteur
Institut Veolia Environnement
dition lectronique
URL : http://sapiens.revues.org/1626
ISSN : 1993-3819
Rfrence lectronique
Claudia Bach, Sara Bouchon2, Alexander Fekete, Jrn Birkmann and Damien Serre, Adding value to
critical infrastructure research and disaster risk management: the resilience concept , S.A.P.I.EN.S
[Online], 6.1 | 2013, Online since 15 July 2014, connection on 30 September 2016. URL : http://
sapiens.revues.org/1626
2013
Volume 6 issue 1
S . A . P. I . E N . S
Perspectives
Claudia Bach1, Sara Bouchon2, Alexander Fekete3, Jrn Birkmann1, Damien Serre4
1. United Nation University Institute for Environment and Human Security (UNU-EHS)
Platz der Vereinten Nationen 1, 53113, Bonn
bach@ehs.unu.edu and birkmann@ehs.unu.edu respectively.
2. Risk Governance Solutions S.r.l., Via Fratelli dItalia, 7, 21052 - Busto Arsizio (VA),
sara.bouchon@riskgovernancesolutions.eu.
3. Institute of Rescue Engineering and Civil Protection,
Cologne University of Applied Sciences/Fachhochschule Koeln,
alexander.fekete@fh-koeln.de.
4. RESCUESolutions SAS, Bagneux, France
damien.serre@rescuesolutions.fr.
Abstract
In recent years, resilience has become a key term in disaster risk management (DRM). Its potential
has been mainly discussed with respect to social-ecological systems as well as communities.
With respect to Critical Infrastructures (CIs) however, resilience and vulnerability are often used
without clear definition and reference to the DRM context. This paper aims to conceptualize
vulnerability and resilience for the CI context. Building on socio-ecological approaches, the paper
will outline the added value that a more stringent conceptualization of resilience offers for DRM of
CIs. After an introduction of CIs and their meaning in the context of DRM (Section 1), the distinct
features of the resilience concept and its application in different disciplines are presented (Section
2). Some of the governance challenges associated with the implementation of resilience strategies
are presented (Section 3) before conclusions are drawn (Section 4).
http://sapiens.revues.org/1626
C. Bach et al Adding value to critical infrastructure research and disaster risk management: the resilience concept.
Table of contents
1. Introduction
2. From Critical Infrastructure Protection to Resilience
2.1 The resilience concept
2.2 Infrastructure protection: the added value of the
resilience concept
4. Conclusion
5. References
1. Introduction
The recognition of risk as a social construct became one basis
for the development of a certain stream of risk assessment
methodologies and DRM approaches (e.g. Blaikie et al., 1994;
Alexander, 2000; Birkmann, 2013). In this context, different
terminologies and concepts such as vulnerability (Birkmann,
2013), sensitivity (Fssel & Klein, 2006), resilience (Paton &
Johnston, 2000; Klein et al., 2003; Adger et al., 2005; Cutter et
al., 2008) or adaptation and adaptive capacity (Pelling, 2011; Smit
& Wandel, 2006) have been developed from related disciplines.
Discussions with respect to their delineation, overlap and
applicability are ongoing (Cutter et al., 2008; Cardona, 2011;
Birkmann, 2013).
Definition and translation of these theoretical concepts into
indicators and criteria form an important part of disaster
risk assessments and are a priority of the Hyogo Framework
for Action (UNISDR, 2007). In this respect, different spheres
of interest have been identified that encompass economic,
environmental and social dimensions (Cardona & Barbat, 2000;
Birkmann, 2013; Cardona, 2011). Defined as an asset or part
thereof which is essential for the maintenance of vital societal
functions, health, safety, security, economic or social well-being
of people (EC, 2008: Article 2a), Critical Infrastructure (CI) can
be identified as a cross-cutting topic for all three spheres.
Bach et al | p2
to turbulent transformation. Learning, recovery and flexibility open eyes to novelty and
new worlds of opportunity. 1
Counter to this, the equilibrium approach to resilience played an
important role in many disciplines and has substantially shaped
natural resource and environmental management. Traditional
engineering resilience approaches often focus on maintaining
efficiency and the constancy of a system close to a single steady
state (see Holling, 1996 and Table 1). This aspect can also be
found in more recent engineering literature stressing the control
over the system in order to avoid failure. Vugrin et al., (2010), for
example, define CI resilience as:
Given the occurrence of a particular disruptive event (or set of events), the resilience of a
system to that event (or events) is the ability to
efficiently reduce both the magnitude and duration of the deviation from targeted system
performance levels (p.82).
According to them, CI resilience comprises two main measurable
components: athe system impact, defined as the difference
between general and actual (after event) performance; and bthe
recovery effort, encompassing the resources required to restore
the functioning to a pre-defined desirable performance level.
This engineering driven approach thus neglects the potential for
flexibility and change of the system. It relates resilience to the
capabilities of systems or networks, elements often expressed
in terms such as robustness, redundancy or others (Tierney &
Bruneau, 2007). In these approaches, resilience assessments
were and still are in many contexts addressing the physical
conditions of systems while neglecting different aspects and
phases of disaster management (see e.g. Hartong et al., 2008,
Svensson 2008, Bompard et al., 2009, Rich et al., 2009, Gheorghe
and Vamanu 2005 and 2008, Petit et al., 2011, Krger and Zio
2011, Li et al., 2012).
Table 1: Concepts of resilience in the socio-ecological context
Resilience
Concept
Characteristics
Focus on
Context
Engineering
resilience.
Maintaining
efficiency and
constancy.
Deviation
from actual
performance
(often also
understood as
robustness),
recovery effort.
Vicinity
to stable
equilibrium.
Ecological/
ecosystem
resilience
and social
resilience.
Buffering
capacity,
withstanding
shock,
maintaining
function.
Persistence,
absorb
disturbance.
Multiple
equilibria,
stability
landscape.
Socioecological
resilience.
Interplay,
disturbance
and
reorganization,
sustaining and
developing.
Adaptive capacity,
transformability,
learning,
innovation.
Integrated
system
feedback,
cross-scale
dynamic
interactions.
S . A . P. I . E N . S
C. Bach et al Adding value to critical infrastructure research and disaster risk management: the resilience concept.
Bach et al | p3
C. Bach et al Adding value to critical infrastructure research and disaster risk management: the resilience concept.
the objectives of the EPCIP [European Programme for Critical Infrastructure Protection] will be to continue to identify critical
infrastructure, analyse vulnerability and interdependence, and come forward with solutions to protect from, and prepare for, all
hazards. (EC, 2004: 8)
The protection was seen as the way to reduce, sometimes to
totally eliminate, the vulnerabilities of critical infrastructure
systems, mainly seen as the physical assets or components
of an infrastructure. In this context, the vulnerability
of CIs was defined as a weakness in the system of the
critical infrastructure in itself, which might be exploited,
unintentionally or intentionally (Bouchon, 2006: 80).
Nevertheless, during the last decade, CI disruption issues
became more integrated into DRM approaches (see Figure 1).
This increase in awareness on the importance of CI resilience,
triggered by a variety of events such as the 2003 Northeastern
blackout in the US and Canada, Hurricane Katrina in 2005,
the 2007 UK flooding as well as the overall awareness of
the potential effects of climate change (City of Cape Town,
2006; German Federal Government, 2008), was accompanied
by a shift from direct protection and prosecution to a more
systemic view of infrastructures in certain countries. It was
characterized by the insight that rather than focussing on
the protection of certain facilities, the safeguarding of the
provision of services should be the primary aim. In particular,
the Nordic countries focused on critical societal functions
(Norwegian CIP Commission, 2006) or functions vital to society
(Government of Finland, 2006).
Bach et al | p4
Events
Madrid
2004
9/11
Wolrd Trade
Center Terrorist
Attack 1993
Northeastern
blackout
2003
London
2005
Hurricane
Katrina
2005
UK Flooding
2007
Physical protection
of infrastructures
Establishment
of the Presidents
Commission on
Critical Infrastructure
Protection 1996
Hurricane Sandy
2012
Victoria Flooding
2011
Strategies
S . A . P. I . E N . S
C. Bach et al Adding value to critical infrastructure research and disaster risk management: the resilience concept.
CI Resilience strategies
Government of
Canada Position
Paper
on a National
Strategy for
Critical
Infrastructure
Protection 2004
Council Directive
2008/114/EC
Finnish Strategy
for Securing
the Functions Vital
to Society 2006
Australian
Government (2010):
Critical Infrastructure
Resilience Plan
U.S. Department of
Homeland Affairs (2009):
National Infrastructure
Protection Plan
UK Cabinet Office:
Sector Resilience Plan
for Critical
Infrastructure 2010
Bach et al | p5
C. Bach et al Adding value to critical infrastructure research and disaster risk management: the resilience concept.
In the case of Norway, CI resilience is achieved through measures implemented by responsible owners, taking into account
the needs defined by their customers, and on the basis of
goals, expectations and regulations defined by the responsible authorities, within a system of risk governance defined by
the government (Thomassen, 2012). However, adequate governance models to achieve CI resilience in different contexts
remain to be developed. The main challenges in this regard
include: the identification of the right number of stakeholders
(not too few, not too many); the types of collaboration process
to be developed (e.g. protocols, informal discussions, exercises, etc.); and the degree of formalization of this process (policies with a normative goal vs. processes based on a voluntary,
informal, or horizontal way of collaboration).
Bach et al | p6
S . A . P. I . E N . S
C. Bach et al Adding value to critical infrastructure research and disaster risk management: the resilience concept.
4. Conclusion
The term resilience is increasingly used for CI-related DRM
strategies. However, it is applied in a variety of contexts and
scales, often without a clear and stringent definition. This
results in confusion around its meaning, so that it becomes
difficult to understand what is meant when a resilience
strategy is presented. This failure to clearly define the concept
may mean that the actions and activities deriving from it
fail to increase resilience. With respect to society and CIs,
resilience strategies need to integrate the potential failure
of infrastructure services instead of focussing only on their
robustness and reliability. Relating resilience to concepts
used in the DRM community and specifically to aspects of
socio-ecological resilience facilitates the interrelation of
technical systems while taking into account unexpected
eventsat least from a theoretical point of view. In order
to operationalize a resilience framework for CIs towards
natural hazards, further research is required . Although some
current research projects address the general question of
conceptualizing resilience in different contexts (e.g. the FP7
project EmBrace) and some valuable examples have been
presented, for instance by TISP (2006), the operationalization
potential for the CI context remains vague.
The implementation of resilience strategies by concrete
measures and monitoring activities remains a challenge. In
this regard, indicators of the efficiency of resilience strategies
would be needed to evaluate results and to benchmark
different approaches in order to generate arguments in favor
of appropriate action. Difficulties in collecting and updating
relevant data and information (Trucco et al., 2011, Robert
& Morabito, 2010) are an obstacle to progress in this area.
Technical solutions establishing a trustable and secure
environment to exchange data and other information among
different operators such as policy makers and operators can
Bach et al | p7
C. Bach et al Adding value to critical infrastructure research and disaster risk management: the resilience concept.
References
Boin, A. & A. McConnell (2007). Preparing for critical infrastructure breakdowns: the limits of crisis management and the
need for resilience. Journal of Contingencies and Crisis Management 15(1): 50-59.
Bompard, E., R. Napoli & F. Xue (2009). Analysis of structural
vulnerabilities in power transmission grids. International Journal of Critical Infrastructure Protection 2(12): 5-12.
Bouchon, S. (2006). The vulnerability of interdependent critical
infrastructures systems: epistemological and conceptual state of
the art. EUR 22205 EN. Ispra: Institute for the Protection and
Security of the Citizen/European Commission.
Abbate, J. (1999). From control to coordination: new governance models for information networks and other large technical systems. In: Coutard, O. (Ed.) The Governance of Large
Technical Systems, pp. 114-129. London: Routledge.
Bouchon, S. (2011). Critical Infrastructures Identification: Reflexion about the European case. PhD Thesis, Universit de
Nanterre Paris-X, France.
Adger, W.N., T.P. Hughes, C. Folke, S.R. Carpenter & J. Rockstrm (2005). Social-ecological resilience to coastal disasters.
Science 309: 1036-1039.
Aghababian R., C.P. Lewis, L. Gans & F.J. Curley (1994). Disasters within hospitals. Annals of Emergency Medicine 23: 771777.
Bouchon, S., C. Dimauro & P. Trucco (Eds.) (2012). Proceedings of the 1st International Workshop on Regional Critical Infrastructure Protection Programmes: Main issues, Experiences and
Challenges, Milan, 17-18 November 2011. Milan: Lombardy
Region. Archived by WebCite at: http://www.webcitation.
org/6QPKwA22z.
Alexander, D. (2000). Confronting Catastrophe. New Perspectives on Natural Disasters. Edinburgh: Dunedin Academic
Press..
Australian Emergency Management Institute (2013). National
strategy for disaster resilience: community engagement framework, Handbook 6. Commonwealth of Australia, Attorney
Generals Department. Archived by WebCite at: http://www.
webcitation.org/6Q3f6rtIk.
Australian Government (2010). Critical infrastructure resilience
strategy. Archived by WebCite at: http://www.webcitation.
org/6Q3g53aFs
Balsells, M., B. Barroca, J. Amdal, Y. Diab, V. Becue & D. Serre
(2013). Analysing urban resilience through alternative stormwater management options: application of the conceptual
Spatial Decision Support System model at the neighbourhood
scale. Water Science and Technology 68(11): 2448-2457.
Berkes, F., J. Colding & C. Folke (Eds.) (2008). Navigating Social-Ecological Systems: Building Resilience for Complexity and
Change. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Birkmann, J. (2013). Measuring vulnerability to promote disaster resilient societies: Conceptual frameworks and definitions. In: Birkmann, J. (Ed.) Measuring Vulnerability to Natural
Hazards: Towards Disaster Resilient Societies, 2nd Edition, pp.
9-79. Tokyo: United Nations University Press.
Bruneau, M., S.E. Chang, R.T. Eguchi, G.C. Lee et al. (2003). A
framework to quantitatively assess and enhance the seismic
resilience of communities. Earthquake Spectra 19(4): 733-752.
Brunner, E.M. & M Suter (2008). An inventory of 25 national and
7 international critical information infrastructure protection policies. International CIIP Handbook 2008/2009. Zurich: Center
for Security Studies, ETH Zurich.
Bunn, M. & O. Heinonen (2011). Preventing the next Fukushima. Science 333: 1580-1581.
Cabinet Office (2010). Strategic framework and policy statement on improving the resilience of critical infrastructure to
disruption from natural hazards. March 2010. London. Archived by WebCite at: http://www.webcitation.org/6Q2U9cifz
Cabinet Office (2013). The role of local resilience forums: a reference document. The Civil Contingencies Act (2004), its associated Regulations (2005) and guidance, the National Resilience
Capabilities Programme and emergency response and recovery.
Civil Contingencies Secretariat, July 2013 (V2). London. Archived by WebCite at: http://www.webcitation.org/6Q3gBXBuR
Cagno, E., M. De Ambroggi & P. Trucco (2011). Interdependen-
Bach et al | p8
need to improve their protection. Official Journal of the European Union L 345: 75-82.
S . A . P. I . E N . S
C. Bach et al Adding value to critical infrastructure research and disaster risk management: the resilience concept.
Bach et al | p9
C. Bach et al Adding value to critical infrastructure research and disaster risk management: the resilience concept.
Gheorghe, A.V. & D.V. Vamanu (2008). Quantitative vulnerability assessment of Critical Infrastructures: watching for hidden
faults. International Journal of Critical Infrastructures 4(1/2):
144-152.
Gheorghe, A.V., M. Masera, M. Weijnen & L. De Vries (2006).
Critical Infrastructure at Risk. Securing the European Electric
Power System. Dordrecht: Springer.
Government of Finland (2006). The strategy for securing the
functions vital to society. Government Resolution 23.11.2006,
prepared by The Security and Defence Committee. Archived by
WebCite at: http://www.webcitation.org/6Q3hh1csj
Greenberg, M., N. Mantell, M. Lahr, F. Felder & R. Zimmerman
(2007). Short and intermediate economic impacts of a terrorist-initiated loss of electric power: case study of New Jersey.
Energy Policy 35: 722-733.
Gunderson, L.H. & C.S. Holling (Eds.) (2002). Panarchy: Understanding Transformations in Human and Natural Systems.
Washington DC: Island Press.
Hartong, M., R. Goel & D. Wijesekera (2008). Security and the
US rail infrastructure. International Journal of Critical Infrastructure Protection 1: 15-28.
Hellstrm, T. (2007). Critical infrastructure and systemic
vulnerability: towards a planning framework. Safety Science
45: 415-430.
Hmond, Y. & B. Robert (2012). Evaluation of state of resilience
for a critical infrastructure in a context of interdependencies.
International Journal of Critical Infrastructures 8(2/3): 1-18.
Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada (2009). Action plan
for critical infrastructure. Archived by WebCite at: http://
www.webcitation.org/6QRhtYqx3.
HM Government [Her Majestys Government] (2010). A strong
Britain in an age of uncertainty: the national security strategy.
Presented to Parliament by the Prime Minister by Command of
Her Majesty. London: The Stationery Office Limited. Archived
by WebCite at: http://www.webcitation.org/6QRhxaIGZ.
Holling, C.S. (1973). Resilience and stability of ecological systems. Annual Review of Ecology and Systematics 4: 1-23.
Holling, C.S. (1996). Engineering resilience versus ecological
resilience. In: Schulze, P. (Ed.). Engineering Within Ecological
Constraints, pp. 31-44. Washington DC: The National Academies Press.
Holling, C.S. (2001). Understanding the complexity of economic, ecological, and social systems. Ecosystems 4: 390-405.
IRGC [International Risk Governance Council] (2006). Managing and reducing social vulnerabilities from coupled critical Infrastructures. White paper. Geneva: IRGC.
10
IRGC [International Risk Governance Council] (2010). Emerging risks: sources, drivers and governance issues. Concept note.
Revised version, March 2010. Geneva: IRGC.
Klein, K.R., M.S. Rosenthal & H.A. Klausner (2005). Blackout
2003: preparedness and lessons learned from the perspectives of four hospitals. Prehospital and Disaster Medicine 20(5):
343-349.
Klein, R.J.T., R.J. Nicholls & F. Thomalla (2003). Resilience to
natural hazards: how useful is this concept? Global Environmental Change Part B: Environmental Hazards 5(12): 35-45.
Krger, W. (2008). Critical infrastructures at risk: a need for a
new conceptual approach and extended analytical tools. Reliability Engineering and System Safety 93: 1781-1787.
Krger, W. & E. Zio (2011). Vulnerable Systems. London: Springer.
Lauwe, P. & C. Riegel (2008). Schutz Kritischer Infrastrukturen: Konzepte zur Versorgungssicherheit. [Critical infrastructure protection: concepts for security of supply.] Informationen
zur Raumentwicklung 1/2: 113-125.
Lhomme, S., D. Serre, Y. Diab & R. Laganier (2013). Assessing the resilience of the urban networks: a preliminary step
towards more flood resilient cities. Natural Hazards and Earth
System Sciences 13: 221-230.
Li, Q., J. Sun & J. Fan (2012). Seismic vulnerability assessment through explicit consideration of uncertainties in structural capacities and structural demands. International Journal
of Structural Engineering 3(1/2): 27-36.
Luiijf, E., H. Burger & M. Klaver (2003). Critical infrastructure
protection in the Netherlands: a quick-scan. In: Gattiker, U.E.
(Ed.) EICAR 2002 Conference Best Paper Proceedings (ISBN: 87987271-2-5). Copenhagen: EICAR.
Magis, K. (2010). Community resilience: an indicator of social
sustainability. Society & Natural Resources: An International
Journal 23(5): 401-416.
Monstadt, J. (2008). Der rumliche Wandel der Stromversorgung und die Auswirkungen auf die Raum- und Infrastrukturplanung. [The spatial change of the power supply and the
impact on the spatial and infrastructure planning.] In: Moss,
T., M. Naumann & M. Wissen (Eds.). Infrastrukturnetze und
Raumentwicklung: Zwischen Universalisierung und Differenzierung [Infrastructure Networks and Spatial Development: Between Universalization and Differentiation], pp. 187-224. Munich:
Oekom.
NIAC [National Infrastructure Advisory Council] (2009). Critical infrastructure resilience: final report and recommendations. September 8, 2009. Archived by WebCite at: http://
www.webcitation.org/6QRi1SkGQ.
Bach et al | p10
Norwegian CIP Commission (2006). Protection of critical infrastructures and critical societal functions in Norway. Report NOU
2006:6 submitted to the Ministry of Justice and the Police by
the government appointed commission for the protection of
critical infrastructure on 5th of April 2006 Archived by WebCite at: http://www.webcitation.org/6Q3huvEYC
Paton, D. & D. Johnston (2000). Disasters and communities:
vulnerability, resilience and preparedness. Disaster Prevention
and Management 10(4): 270 - 277.
Paton, D. & D. Johnston (Eds.) (2006). Disaster Resilience: An
Integrated Approach. Springfield: Charles C. Thomas.
Pelling, M. (2011). Adaptation to Climate Change: From Resilience to Transformation. London: Routledge.
Perelman, L.J. (2006). Shifting security paradigms. Toward resilience. CIPP Working Paper 10-06. Arlington, VA: George Mason University. Archived by WebCite at: http://www.webcitation.org/6Q2PYzIxz
Petit, F., W. Buehring, R. Whitfield, R. Fisher & M. Collins
(2011). Protective measures and vulnerability indices for the
Enhanced Critical Infrastructure Protection Programme. International Journal of Critical Infrastructures 7(3): 200-219.
PCCIP [Presidents Commission on Critical Infrastructure
Protection] (1997). Critical foundations: protecting Americas
infrastructure. The Report of thePresidents Commission on
Critical Infrastructure Protection, October 1997. Washington: PPCIP. Archived by WebCite at: http://www.webcitation.
org/6Q3iBqPud
Pursiainen, C. (Ed.) (2007). Towards a Baltic Sea region strategy
in Critical Infrastructure Protection. Nordregio Report 2007:
5. Stockholm: Nordegio (Nordic Center for Spatial Development). Archived by WebCite at: http://www.webcitation.
org/6Q3iG90hh
Reed, D.A., K.C. Kapur & R.D. Christie (2009). Methodology for
assessing the resilience of networked infrastructure. IEEE Systems Journal 3(2): 174-180.
Reichenbach, G., H. Wolff, R. Gbel & S. Stokar von Neuforn
(2008). Risiken und Herausforderungen fr die ffentliche Sicherheit in Deutschland: Szenarien und Leitfragen. Grnbuch
des Zukunftsforums ffentliche Sicherheit. [Risks and challenges for public security in Germany: scenarios and questions.
Green Paper of the future forum public safety.] Berlin: Zukunftsforums ffentliche Sicherheit. Archived by WebCite
at: http://www.webcitation.org/6Q2UfYjeG
Rich, E., J.J. Gonzalez, Y. Qian, F.O. Sveen, J. Radianti & S. Hillen (2009). Emergent vulnerabilities in Integrated Operations:
a proactive simulation study of economic risk. International
Journal of Critical Infrastructure Protection 2(3): 110-123.
S . A . P. I . E N . S
C. Bach et al Adding value to critical infrastructure research and disaster risk management: the resilience concept.
Bach et al | p11
11
C. Bach et al Adding value to critical infrastructure research and disaster risk management: the resilience concept.
12
Bach et al | p12