Comprehensive Security and Some Implemental Limits

Abstract

The changing security environment has led to the development of com- prehensive security approaches, strategies and policies. The 'Holistic approach' has become an academic and practical mantra. This paper argues, however, that com- prehensive security approaches face serious obstacles to their practical implemen- tation. The critical evaluation of several examples confirms that the implementation phase is a weakness of comprehensive approaches and that a truly comprehensive and holistic approach seems to be beyond the implemental capacities of our security systems. Multi-sectoral and multi-level comprehensive approaches become less comprehensive when implemented in practice or even cannot be implemented due to existing narrow perceptions of security or narrow and short-term interests. The trans-sectoral second-, third- and fourth-order effects of proposed security measures are hardly considered or not considered at all. There is no consensus on what ex- actly comprehensive means, while prioritisation of some areas in the national secu- rity policy leads to de-prioritisation of other areas and new vulnerabilities, inter-or- ganisational and cross-sectoral cooperation faces serious limits, threat, risk and vul- nerability assessments are not really comprehensive, etc. This paper finishes with recommendations on what to do about these serious limits on the implementation of comprehensive security.