Continual focus on resilience
While some security issues emphatically require extra focus, there are also predominant risks that have already been integrated into the strategy and for which adequate countermeasures are already in place. Given the developments concerning these risks, continual focus is required in order to protect national security. Any reduction of the current approach could result in new risks and threats or cause old ones to rear their head once more.
The development of the applicable threats and risks means that we must maintain our strong focus on the security issues in the list below. This will roughly involve the following action points:
The Netherlands will focus on maintaining and boosting multilateral international systems via agreements and regulations based on universal values. This focus has been further elaborated in the Integrated International Security Strategy (IISS).
For the purposes of combating and preventing natural disasters, we will concentrate on the issues of climate change, drought, rising sea levels, wildfires, earthquakes, soil subsidence and solar storms. Measures will be taken with regard to carbon reduction, climate-proof groundwater and surface water systems, spatial planning and use of land, among others. The Netherlands will continue its efforts to fulfil the objectives in the Paris Agreement. The water system, which currently focuses primarily on draining away excess water as quickly as possible, must be better equipped to enable retention and infiltration of water. In relation to natural disasters such as forest fires and earthquakes, the usual crisis preparation at the local, regional and national levels is sufficient. Numerous measures will be taken to minimise the risk of earthquakes in relation to gas production in Groningen and the consequences thereof. In the event of an earthquake, a crisis system is already in place.
Given the potential consequences of a CBRN (Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear) conflict or incident for Dutch national security interests, this threat is given undiminished attention. Another important element in the approach to this issue involves boosting social resilience against any CBRN incidents.
In the Netherlands, the risk of infectious diseases is relatively limited. However, the rise of antibiotic resistance is a cause for concern and a comprehensive and coordinated approach has therefore been formulated for this issue. In recent years, no significant developments that could affect national security concerning infectious animal diseases or zoonotic diseases have been observed.