Cityforum - New Government Urged to Plan for the Worst: Experts Launch Report on Challenges of National Resilience

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM, July 15, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Leading policy makers and practitioners have urged the new government to put national resilience at the top of their agenda and on a statutory footing. The recommendations are included in a report; “A Blueprint for Resilience in 2035 Reflections on the Cityforum Conference, London, May 2024” by Stephen Hawker, a former senior member of the UK’s intelligence and security community. It has been published by Cityforum, the senior, expert, policy debating forum. In a Cityforum podcast to discuss the issues raised in the report, Rt Hon Mark Drakeford, the former First Minister of Wales, highlighted in conversation with Sir David Omand the challenges to governments in managing resilience. The discussion is now available as a Cityforum podcast.

In May, some of the UK’s leading policy makers and practitioners met to discuss how to build a broader understanding of national resilience; to identify what could be done now to improve the prospects for a sustainable future; and review how to build capacity to withstand and recover from the anthropogenic (human-causation) and natural shocks.

The supporting podcast explores crisis management, devolution challenges, and long-term governance strategies, with a focus on the practical and the human dimensions of resilience. The discussion covers the COVID-19 response, UK resilience, volunteer mobilisation, leadership in a crisis, and Wales’s innovative Future Generations Act.

The UK faces geopolitical tensions, economic uncertainties and environmental challenges. Commenting on the report and the podcast, Stephen Hawker said: “We need the new government to create a vision of what resilience needs to look like by 2035 or 2050. Without broad standards, indicators, rankings, ratings, and quantitative measures it is impossible to track overall progress and to hold those responsible (not just government) to account.”

The report concludes that if the scale of the threats and the extent of vulnerability is as great as feared then we need greater energy, focus and direction on resilience. Cityforum calls on the new government to:
• Put national resilience at the top of their agenda and on a statutory footing (as suggested by the National Preparedness Commission).
• Undertake a comprehensive assessment of the resilience needed in the UK to provide a baseline for judging change. Government should be required to report annually on progress.
• Develop a national resilience strategy with national goals, focusing on reducing vulnerability as well as preparing for and managing crisis. The strategy needs to be realistic and affordable; and to address human, health and economic as well as system issues and emergency planning. Resilience to be made an integral part of decision-making throughout the economy.

The report and podcast are available on the Cityforum website. Hugh Morris of Z/Yen will chair a special webinar on the Hawker report on 18th July 2024. You can register to attend on the Z/Yen website event page.

Anne Cantelo
Onyx Media and Communications
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