October 2024 – European local authorities are increasingly faced with the huge responsibility of preventing and managing the local consequences of various types of disasters and crises linked to climate change, the rise of cybercrime, terrorism threats, or off-the-scale events such as the Covid pandemic.
Indeed, we, at the European Forum for Urban Security (Efus) have seen in recent years how a growing number of our 250 member local authorities mention the management of crises as a top priority in their security policies. They tell us they are looking for expertise, inspiring practices and direct exchanges with their peers on how to better protect citizens against such risks and mobilise all the relevant actors (civil protection, emergency responders, etc.) for an efficient and coordinated local response alongside national agencies.
Developing a risk-aware culture
In a telltale sign, crisis management was a key topic in our two most recent Security, Democracy and Cities conferences in Nice (2021) and Brussels (last March). In Brussels, there were two sessions on this issue: Crisis management at the local level, and Global crises, local impacts: Threats to social cohesion and how cities can respond. The first underscored the need for coordination, training and the development of a risk-aware culture among citizens and elected officials. The second highlighted the crucial role played by local officials in mitigating and reducing local tensions linked to crises.
EU-funded projects
Efus has been working on the issue of the local management of crises and resilience to disasters for the past 10 years or so. It has been a partner in several projects funded by the European Union. For example, the ALARM project (2017-2021) looked at how to improve cooperation between emergency stakeholders on both sides of the France-Belgium border.
More recently, RiskPACC (Integrating Risk Perception and Action to enhance Civil Protection-Citizen interaction) (2021-2024), which concluded in August, sought to strengthen the resilience of civil society by closing the gap that exists in the perception of risks between citizens on the one hand and civil protection authorities on the other.
Efus has also just started working with other partners on SPARROW (Enhancing societal resilience and crisis management in the face of digital breakdowns). This new, three-year Horizon Europe project aims to develop innovative solutions and technologies to ensure the continuity of essential services and critical infrastructures and to improve the coordination of different stakeholders during natural disasters, cyberattacks, or system failures.
Pilot schemes in six local authorities
In the RiskPACC project, Efus and its partners worked with six European local authorities to pilot the project’s approach and tools in case of disaster of various types. Gdánsk (Poland) worked on flood risks and how to strengthen community engagement. Heidelberg (Germany) worked on the risk of flooding of the Neckar River. Kalamaria (Greece) focused on earthquake preparedness. Karlsruhe (Germany) explored climate-related risks and enhanced crisis communication strategies. Setubal (Portugal) conducted earthquake simulations to test the interactions between citizens and civil protection authorities. Lastly, the Unione della Romagna Faentina (Italy) worked on the preparedness of volunteers and the risk of floods.
New technological tools
The RiskPACC project has shown that as crises become more complex, local civil protection authorities must be equipped with modern technological tools for effective risk management and crisis communication with citizens. Digital platforms, early warning systems and enhanced communication tools, like those developed in European projects or already existing in some countries, such as the Nina app in Germany, are crucial for improving coordination between citizens and authorities in preventing and during crises. They enable faster data collection and analysis, allowing civil protection authorities to predict, prevent, and respond more efficiently to emergencies. By investing in such technologies, local authorities can strengthen resilience, enhance preparedness, and better protect local communities against a growing range of risks.
Local authorities at the forefront
The EU-funded projects Efus has been working on lately highlight the crucial role played by local authorities in preventing and mitigating crises, whatever their nature and cause, and in increasing the resilience of citizens. The European Forum for Urban Security has long advocated for better recognition of such role. Indeed, in our Security, Democracy and Cities manifesto, we call for local elected officials to be “fully recognised as actors in civil security, especially during crisis management.” We recommend adopting “in close cooperation with national and international levels of governance” an “integrated approach that makes cities and local authorities more resilient.”
Furthermore, Efus members commit in this manifesto to “promoting a partnership culture” between public stakeholders, emergency services, civil society and private partners such as transport companies, small and medium enterprises and businesses, and “reaffirming the role of citizens as relevant stakeholders through their association and involvement in crisis prevention and management.”
The need for strong local partnerships
By fostering strong partnerships across public, private, and civil sectors, while emphasising the vital role of local authorities, we can create a more resilient and responsive framework for crisis prevention and management. Local authorities, as the first line of response, must be supported and empowered to efficiently fulfil their responsibilities. This collective approach not only enhances their ability to address current challenges but also strengthens the long-term resilience of communities, helping them to adapt and recover from future crises. Ultimately, recognising the importance of local actors and providing them with the necessary support, alongside a collaborative spirit, is key to safeguarding the security and resilience of our cities and regions.
> If you are interested in following Efus’ activities on this issue, please check our topical section here where you’ll find more information on past and current projects and publications
> Read the interview with our expert Yves van de Vloet on the ALARM project and the protection of public spaces against risks
