The role of households in Nordic national risk assessments

Abstract

National Risk assessments (NRAs) provide an overview of risks at a national level. NRAs should give information on the risk facing critical functions of society. NRAs are therefore vital elements in preparation and planning response to crisis on a national level. Households are a fundamental part of society, and the household's resilience in a crisis can be a measurement of successful crisis management. This work aims to identify the expected roles of citizens and households in national risk assessments (NRAs) in Norway, Sweden and Iceland. National risk regimes in these countries are similar in many ways, with a strong focus on societal values as a part of the Nordic safety culture and operated after similar principles. Increased complexity of society results in increased complexity in dealing with hazards and greater disaster potential through cascading effects, and recent cases have shown great consequences to households when electricity and ICT-infrastructures fail. Households can also represent resources and capabilities in emergency situations. The article discusses to what extent this duality is reflected in the NRAs for the Nordic countries. Even though the basic societal value in the Nordic countries focuses on the wellbeing of individuals, this study shows a gap between the defined structure of the risk regimes in NRAs, and how households and individuals are portrayed.