Public consultation on the draft revised OECD Recommendation on the Governance of Critical Risks

Consultation is now closed

The OECD is inviting comments on the draft revised Recommendation on the Governance of Critical Risks. The current version of the Recommendation, adopted in 2014, provides guidance to governments on how to anticipate, prepare for, and manage risks that have the most strategically significant consequences for societies and economies (hereafter, “critical risks”). The draft revised version aims to ensure the Recommendation remains relevant in light of lessons learned from recent global shocks, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, and emerging challenges including the increasing intensity and frequency of extreme weather events, hybrid threats, supply chain vulnerabilities, and the growing role of digital technologies.

Critical risks, whether linked to natural hazards, technological developments, or human action, can disrupt essential services, undermine trust in government, and threaten national security. Effective governance of these risks requires a whole-of-society approach, engaging public authorities, private actors, and civil society in coordinated efforts to build resilience.

In times of crisis, flexible emergency authorities, well-rehearsed and scalable response capabilities, and continuity of essential services are particularly important to buffer adverse impacts and foster rapid recovery. People’s experiences of how crises are managed, not only in terms of outcomes but also how decisions are made, communicated and implemented under pressure, can directly impact trust in government.

The draft revised Recommendation builds on the 2014 version of the Recommendation and would continue to recommend that Adherents:

• Clarify the roles and responsibilities for disaster risk and crisis management, assigning leadership for alignment of priorities and coordination of stakeholders, and establishing cooperative frameworks with the business and volunteer sectors to build national resilience.  
  
  
• Build preparedness through foresight analysis and link directly to decision making on building core risk management capabilities. 
  
  
• Invest in disaster risk reduction measures and critical infrastructure resilience.
  
  
• Develop adaptive capacity to manage crises, and in particular the gaps in preparedness that arise from unexpected risks. 
  
  
• Raise awareness of the population about exposures to critical risks, ensure transparency of information used in risk management decisions, hold officials accountable for failure to carry out responsibilities, and invest in research to continuously improve risk management policies and measures, including learning from past crises.

Building on these elements, the draft revised Recommendation more broadly presents the main features of a critical risks governance system organised around five key elements:
 

• A comprehensive, all-hazards, whole-of-society approach to governance of critical risks
  
  
• A process for identifying and assessing critical risks and for using it to inform decisions on closing gaps in capabilities and capacities
  
  
• Actions that strengthen disaster risk reduction, critical infrastructure continuity and security of supply of essential goods
  
  
• Adaptative capacities to manage unanticipated national crises
  
  
• Transparency and accountability, as well as continuous learning from past experience and current knowledge 

If adopted, the implementation, dissemination, and continued relevance of the revised Recommendation would be regularly reviewed and reported on to the OECD Council to ensure that the measures therein remain impactful and encourage ongoing sharing of country experiences and best practices. It would also support and complement other related OECD standards and work relevant to reinforcing trust in government and provide the basis for the OECD to continue to serve as a forum for exchanging information, guidance, and leading practices on the governance of critical risks.

Consultation is now closed