Publication

This paper describes how the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001 have led to an increased focus on the vulnerability of modern societies in general and the protection of so-called critical infrastructures in particular. The author states that drafting efficient protection plans has proven to be a challenge: requirements may include sophisticated situation analyses, better understanding of vulnerabilities, and a political consensus on how protection measures should be prioritized. The paper explains that domestic and inter-state political cooperation as well as functioning public-private partnerships are therefore indispensable.