兰德-增强国防对英国社会恢复力的贡献（英）-2021.10-129页_3mb

Summary of "Enhancing Defence's Contribution to Societal Resilience in the UK: Lessons from International Approaches"

Core Content

This report, conducted by the Global Strategic Partnership (GSP) on behalf of the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD), explores how different countries conceptualise and promote societal resilience, and identifies key lessons that can be applied to the UK context. The study aims to enhance the UK Defence's role in supporting national resilience, particularly in the face of growing challenges such as climate change, pandemics, and hybrid threats.

Societal resilience is defined as the ability of a nation to withstand and recover from crises, and the report outlines a conceptual framework that divides the process into three overlapping phases: Prepare, Respond, and Recover. These phases are part of a continuous cycle, with actions in one phase influencing and enabling those in the next.

The study team developed a Societal Resilience Index (SRI) to quantify and compare resilience levels across countries. This index uses a combination of causal variables (factors influencing resilience) and indicator variables (measures of resilience outcomes) to model the performance of different nations. The SRI is presented as an analytical tool rather than a definitive metric, offering insights into how structural characteristics like corruption, socio-economic inequality, and infrastructure impact resilience.

Main Viewpoints

1. Societal Resilience as a Whole-of-Society Approach

• Resilience requires collaboration across government, civil society, and the private sector.
• Defence plays a supporting role, providing capabilities during crises and contributing to long-term planning.
• Crises often occur in parallel or have cascade effects, meaning the phases of resilience are not strictly sequential but can overlap.

2. UK Defence's Evolving Role

• The 2021 Integrated Review (IR) highlighted the importance of societal resilience as a strategic priority.
• The MOD is working to develop a clear and coherent definition of societal resilience and its contribution, aligned with national policy.
• There is a growing recognition of the need for Defence to be more integrated and proactive in supporting resilience efforts.

Key Information

1. Case Studies and Clustering Analysis

• Five countries were selected as case studies: Australia, Colombia, Israel, Russia, and Sweden.
• These countries were chosen based on a clustering analysis that identified similar structural conditions influencing resilience.
• The analysis helped to ensure a diverse representation of national approaches and contexts.

2. Proposals for UK Defence

The report outlines several key proposals to improve the UK Defence's approach to societal resilience:

• Improve civil-military coordination and integration

  • Establish clearer roles and responsibilities.
  • Use military liaison officers to build long-term relationships with government departments.
  • Review and coordinate crisis response plans with relevant agencies.
  • Consider dedicated funding models and senior responsible officers (SROs).

• Build long-term relationships with national, regional, and local organisations

  • Define clear points of contact and ensure up-to-date communication.
  • Engage with local civil emergency planning bodies to raise awareness of Defence capabilities.
  • Share best practices across different regions to standardise resilience efforts.

• Enhance communication to build trust and understanding

  • Use communication to demonstrate resilience measures and control the narrative during crises.
  • Inform the public about their potential roles and the importance of preparedness.
  • Ensure clear communication of Defence capabilities and limitations to manage expectations.

• Exercise routinely with various partners

  • Conduct exercises with government, civil agencies, and industry to improve interoperability and understanding.
  • Engage with international partners to share best practices and demonstrate capabilities in a non-escalatory manner.

• Explore rapid mass and cross-sector mobilisation mechanisms

  • Leverage existing reserve forces and partnerships with NGOs.
  • Use technology to enable volunteer activation and alert systems.
  • Strengthen relationships with industry to ensure capacity and response times.

Conclusion

The report concludes that societal resilience is a critical component of national security and strategic advantage in the 21st century. It highlights the need for the UK to adopt a more integrated, proactive, and flexible approach to resilience, drawing on international best practices. The proposed reforms aim to improve coordination, communication, and preparedness across all levels of society, ensuring that the UK is better equipped to respond to and recover from a wide range of crises. The findings also suggest the importance of ongoing research and analysis to refine the UK's resilience framework and its implementation by Defence.