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Comparing the resilience objectives of Finnish comprehensive security model and the NATO baseline requirements for resilience Cover

Comparing the resilience objectives of Finnish comprehensive security model and the NATO baseline requirements for resilience

Open Access
|Apr 2025

Figures & Tables

The main aspects of the NBRs in the CSM

NBRNationalPrivate/NGOIndividual
Continuity of GovernmentAuthorities as main actors
  • Compiling and analysing information

  • Alleviating fear and anxiety within the society

  • Building trust in authorities

  • Authorities should not enhance learned helplessness in society

NGOs and companies in auxiliary role and messengers
  • Joint preparedness planning

  • NGOs as two-way messengers

  • Training and reliable communication

Individuals as ‘active survivors’ Instructions
  • Back-up communication system such as battery radio

  • Strengthening ‘community spirit’

Resilient Energy SuppliesAuthorities in supplementary role
  • Share majority to ensure power to decide (National grid and natural gas transmission networks)

  • National stock (fuels, coal, oil products, and natural gas)

Private sector in leading role
  • Maintaining communication network

  • Underground cabling and building additional circular connections

  • Leasing of LNG terminal

  • Preparedness stock for district heating companies, energy importer companies, and energy suppliers

Individuals as ‘active survivors’ Instructions
  • How to cope with power outage

  • How to save energy

Resilient Civil Communications Services
  • Authorities as service users

  • Information services (for situational awareness and decision-making capacity)

Private sector as service providers
  • Ensuring critical services (government information services, payment transfer systems, and health care systems)

  • Reliability of transport and communication infrastructure (data communication links and cyber-security measures)+

Individuals as ‘active actors’ Instructions
  • How should electronic devices be protected

  • Battery radios as means for complementary communications

Resilient Food and Water SuppliesAuthorities as observers and stock keepers
  • Monitoring (food and water safety and production situation)

  • Keeping safety stock (grains for 6 months)

Private sector as producers
  • Ensuring supply (functioning of supply chain)

  • Preparedness action (physical security and cyber-security)

Individuals as ‘active survivors’ Instructions
  • Home emergency food supply

  • 72 h concept

Resilient Civilian Transportation SystemsAuthorities as legislators and stock keepers
  • Keeping safety stock (fuels for 5 months)

Private sector as service providers
  • Services (military logistics partnerships and civilian logistics)

  • Preparedness (planning and joint exercises)

Individuals in a minor or non-existent role
  • Voluntary: keep car tank at least half full

Ability to Deal with Large-Scale Population MovementsAuthorities as planners and service users
  • Evacuation of Finnish residents (preparedness planning)

  • Large-scale population movements over border (preparedness planning)

Private sector as service providers
  • Operating immigrant reception centres

  • Services for immigrants

Individuals in a minor or non-existent role
  • Volunteer service coordinated by NGOs

Ability to Deal with Mass CasualtiesAuthorities as service providers and stock keepers
  • Emergency preparedness (emergency services)

  • Safety stocks (medical material also in cooperation with the Finnish Defence Forces)

Private sector as service providers and stock keepers
  • Services (voluntary rescue services)

  • Safety stocks (Pharmaceuticals)

Individuals as ‘active survivors’ and active participants in the NGOs Instructions
  • How to shelter indoors

  • First aid supplies

  • First aid skills

The vital functions in the security strategy for society (Government of Finland 2017)

Vital functionMain objectives
(1) LeadershipLeadership ‘provides the basis for safeguarding all other functions’. It includes the requirements of effective leadership, for example: ‘clear lines of authority’, ‘a situation picture’, ‘crisis communications’, ‘continuity management’, and ‘cooperation’. (p. 15).
(2) International and EU activitiesThe vital function ‘[p]roviding a basis for international cooperation and participation in crisis prevention’ is deemed important in ‘safeguarding of other vital functions’ and includes fighting global threats such as ‘uncontrolled migration, pandemics, terrorism and international crime’. (p. 17).
(3) Defence capabilityThe main objective is to ‘establish deterrence against the use of military force against Finland’ and the preparedness needed for this is developed ‘as part of the concept for comprehensive security in a joint effort by the authorities, business operators, organisations and citizens’. (p. 18).
(4) Internal securityThe vital function aims to ‘prevent and counter criminal activities […] prevent accidents, environmental damage and other similar incidents and threats. It also allows Finland to successfully manage the consequences of the above activities, threats and incidents’. (p. 19).
(5) Economy, infrastructure, and security of supplyThe vital function safeguards ‘the funding and other resources for vital functions’. The objects to be safeguarded include Finnish and ‘international infrastructure’, organizations, constructs and ‘processes’ that are ‘essential for vital functions’. (p. 20).
(6) Functional capacity of the population and servicesThe vital function aims to maintain ‘key basic services’ to help ‘ensure independent living in all situations’. This includes ‘social welfare’ and medical services. (p. 22).
(7) Psychological resilienceThe vital function means ‘the ability of individuals, communities, society and the nation to withstand the pressures arising from crisis situations and to recover from their impacts’. This includes ‘will to defend country’s independence’ and is strengthened among other things by high ‘trust in the authorities’ and preventing social divisions among citizens. (p. 22–23).

j_jms-2025-0003_tab_004

NATO (2021b) Enhancing the Resilience of Allied Societies Through Civil PreparednessMeyer-Minnemann (2016) Resilience and Alliance Security: The Warsaw Commitment to Enhance Resilience
Continuity of Government‘An assured continuity of government and critical government services: for instance, the ability to make decisions, communicate them and enforce them in a crisis’ (p. 8) ‘Strengthen the democratic resilience of our societies’ (p. 17)‘Continuity of Government: maintaining at all times the ability to make decisions, communicate them, and enforce them, and to provide essential government services to the population.’ (p. 92)
Resilient Energy Supplies‘Resilient energy supplies: back-up plans and power grids’ (p. 8)‘Resilient energy supplies: ensuring that energy supply, including national power grids, are secure and that nations maintain the necessary prioritization arrangements and redundancy.’ (p. 92)
Resilient Civil Communications Services‘Resilient civil communications systems: ensuring that telecommunications and cyber networks function even under crisis conditions’ (p. 8) ‘reliable 5G network and efficient options to restore it if need be’ (p. 8)‘Resilient Civil Communications Services: ensuring that telecommunications and cyber networks remain functional even in demanding conditions and under attacks.’ (p. 93)
Resilient Food and Water Supply‘Resilient food and water resources: ensuring these supplies are safe from disruption or sabotage’ (p. 8)‘Resilient Food and Water Supply: ensuring sufficient supplies are available to both civilians and the military, and safe from disruption of sabotage.’ (p. 93)
Ability to Deal with Large-Scale Population Movements‘The ability to deal effectively with the uncontrolled movement of people.’ (p. 8)‘Ability to Deal with Large Scale Population Movements and to be able to de-conflict such movements from potential national or Alliance military deployments and other requirements.’ (p. 93)
Ability to Deal with Mass Casualties‘The ability to deal with mass casualties: ensuring that civilian health systems can cope and that sufficient medical supplies are stocked and secure’ (p. 8)‘Ability to Deal with Mass Casualties: ensuring that health systems can cope even in very demanding situations when there might be simultaneous pressure on civilian and military health care capabilities.’ (p. 93)
Resilient Civilian Transportation Systems‘The functioning of transport systems: ensuring that NATO forces can move across Alliance territory rapidly and that civilian services can rely on transportation networks, even in a crisis’ (p. 8)‘Resilient Civilian Transportation Systems: ensuring that NATO forces can move across Alliance territory rapidly and that civilian transportation networks remain functional and effective to support civil and military requirements even when challenged or attacked.’ (p. 93)

Coverage of Finnish Government level (G) and lower-level (L) documents of the NBRs

NBRAuthoritiesPrivate/NGOIndividual
Continuity of GovernmentGGL
Resilient Energy SuppliesGGL
Resilient Civil Communications ServicesGG(G), L
Resilient Food and Water SupplyGGG, L
Ability to Deal with Large-Scale Population MovementsGG
Ability to Deal with Mass CasualtiesGGL
Resilient Civilian Transportation SystemsGG
DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/jms-2025-0003 | Journal eISSN: 1799-3350 | Journal ISSN: 2242-3524
Language: English
Submitted on: Oct 19, 2024
Accepted on: Jan 21, 2025
Published on: Apr 26, 2025
Published by: National Defense University
In partnership with: Paradigm Publishing Services
Publication frequency: 1 issue per year

© 2025 Lauri Jauhiainen, Sarah Schiffling, published by National Defense University
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

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