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Abstract:

The Netherlands can be called vulnerable due to its geographical location, population density, technology, industry, open (digital) structures and economic interconnectedness. The impact when disruptions occur for the Netherlands are significant. It is not only major disasters and crises that are disruptive to Dutch society. Incidents such as major accidents, settlements in the criminal circuit, increasing polarization, climate activism or threats to government personnel can also be disruptive, hindering the normal performance of government tasks and potentially disrupting the functioning of Dutch society. For this reason, governments have mapped and elaborated the risks as much as possible in, for example, crisis plans, contingency plans and incident response plans. Incidentally, this trend is not limited to the Netherlands. Developments around the world are causing countries to prepare for times of need in the background. And that is no unnecessary luxury in the current era. Berndtssen (2023) argues that government organizations worldwide are increasingly trying to promote cooperation with other public and private parties to be better prepared for the undesirable. But, what plans has the Netherlands already made to be better prepared and equipped in times of emergency or war? And, what is necessary to make existing structures work better in the Netherlands? The aim of this report is therefore to provide insight into how the Netherlands has developed and is currently functioning in the area of crisis and disaster relief, in order to recognise and explore from there where opportunities for improvement for the government can be seen. Also, the sources, conclusions and recommendations used in this report can serve operational and educational purposes, as well as serve as input for discussions and debates.

Author: KoninklijkE Landmacht