7. Anticipating, preparing for and managing crises

The management of crises and swift reaction to disruptions are core government competencies. During times of crisis, whether it be a natural disaster, terrorist attack, pandemic or an event we have not yet considered, citizens turn to the government for leadership. Trust in the government is crucial during these periods, as evidence suggests it facilitates swift compliance with policy measures necessary to minimise the impact on society (Brezzi et al., 2021[1]). For instance, pre-pandemic levels of trust influenced compliance with containment policies during the first wave of COVID-19. While governments did benefit from initial popular support, this was not long-lasting.

CoGs play a crucial role in crisis management by providing political leadership and a central point of co-ordination for decision-making during times of crisis (Figure 7.1). CoGs are increasingly involved in anticipating and managing crises, with 85% of CoGs reporting that risk management and anticipation are a priority for them (OECD, 2023[2]). To support this growing function, 42% of countries have set up a dedicated unit or team at the CoG to support crisis management. By providing political leadership and a central point of co-ordination, CoGs can contribute to the efficient management of crises and the implementation of necessary measures. Their involvement also helps maintain public trust.

The changing nature of the crises themselves complements their intensity. For instance, the COVID-19 pandemic had two amplifying characteristics compared to natural disasters: a rapid global spread and multidimensionality not only in terms of prevention and management of health risks but through spill-over effects to many other crucial areas, including the economy, society and trust in government and democratic institutions. Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine has brought similar effects, as the security threat is compounded by impacts to the energy sector, for example. Over the last three years, CoGs have taken on further responsibilities to address the challenges posed by current crises. In 85% of the surveyed countries, CoG activities related to crisis management have increased mainly through the development of ad hoc taskforces or groups to deal with short-term issues (OECD, 2021[3]).

This chapter will explore the CoG’s role and activities as a stabiliser during times of crises through the following structure:

  • Anticipating and preparing for future crises.

  • Whole-of-government co-ordination and crisis management.

  • Engaging with external stakeholders during crises.

Countering multi-dimensional crises has increased the relevance of strategic foresight and national risk assessments. The OECD Recommendation of the Council on the Governance of Critical Risks recommends that adherents to “develop risk anticipation capacity linked directly to decision-making through the development of capacity for horizon scanning, risk assessments” (OECD, 2014[4]).

Finland, Ireland, and Luxembourg all have examples of such capacities at the centre (including national risk assessments). Some CoGs (Figure 7.3) have dedicated foresight units to assess critical risks and anticipate future crises. Box 7.1 outlines Finland’s national foresight system.

To anticipate future crises and prepare accordingly, foresight approaches should be complemented by learning from the past. The 2021 OECD Survey on Drivers of Trust in Public Institutions found that, on average, across countries, 49.4% of respondents expressed confidence that their government would be prepared to protect people’s lives in the event of a new pandemic (OECD, 2022[7]). The COVID-19 pandemic showed that governments that drew on lessons learnt from past crises often demonstrated greater resilience (OECD, 2014[4]). The countries where most people believe that their government has learnt from the pandemic are also the countries where a higher number of people are likely to have trust in that government. Box 7.2 offers one example from Korea on how it integrated past learnings into the management of COVID-19.

CoGs play an important role by supporting decision-making and co-ordination across government agencies (OECD, 2020[9]) during times of crisis. The OECD Recommendation of the Council on the Governance of Critical Risks recommends that adherents to “put in place governance mechanisms to co-ordinate on risk management and manage crises with government” (OECD, 2014[4]).

In the event of a crisis, CoGs most commonly focus on the management and co-ordination of government operations (OECD, 2018[10]). Following the COVID-19 pandemic, 85% of CoGs now highlight risk management as one of their priorities and 88% report that it is the CoG’s role to co-ordinate the government’s response to a crisis (OECD, 2023[2]). Almost half of OECD governments deployed new institutional arrangements to manage the pandemic, either in the form of a dedicated unit or an appointed co-ordinator (OECD, 2020[9]) and many CoGs assumed new responsibilities since COVID-19 (Figure 7.4). In Luxembourg, for instance, the composition of the crisis unit in charge of COVID-19 had to evolve slightly twice to adapt to the scale of the pandemic (OECD, 2022[11]). An example of Belgium’s approach from the centre of government, and an example of an evolving framework for managing crises can be found in Australia (Box 7.3).

The CoG must be agile and responsive to take on its often-increased role adequately during crises. For instance, in Poland, the prime minister has been granted spending authority for special-purpose aid funds both during the COVID-19 pandemic and to provide assistance to Ukraine and Ukrainian refugees. Box 7.4 provides an example of how Romania’s CoG was brought in to co-ordinate the large-scale response to the refugee crisis following Russia’s war in Ukraine.

CoGs provide direct support and advice to heads of government and the council of ministers or cabinet and facilitate cabinet decision-making. In a clear majority of countries (65%), the CoG is responsible for ensuring the briefing of senior decision-makers in times of crisis (OECD, 2023[2]). A key challenge for them is to ensure the incorporation of impartial, trusted evidence at speed. In this context, CoGs are increasingly acknowledging the importance of bringing in scientific, impartial advice during crises (OECD, 2021[3]). In many cases, CoGs started to rely more on expertise provided by scientific advisory committees, taskforces or expert groups, with some created on an ad hoc basis, while others pre-dating the pandemic. For example, in Poland, advanced data analysis techniques were used by experts from universities and research centres for forecasting purposes during the pandemic. Many of these committees report to the CoG, for example in Australia, where the scientific medical advice answered to the Ministry of Health and the Prime Minister’s Office. Boxes 7.5 and 7.6 outline examples from Poland and the United Kingdom on the use of external or scientific bodies for decision-making at the CoG. Other countries such as Luxembourg, Spain and Switzerland have also created scientific bodies to provide advice to government.

Engaging with external stakeholders is also important during times of crisis. External partners, such as citizens, non-governmental organisations and the private sector, often possess specialised knowledge that is valuable in crises (OECD, 2018[15]). Collaboration with these stakeholders can also foster transparency and trust, building individuals’ capacity to act in times of crisis (OECD, 2014[4]).

Most (77%) CoGs consulted stakeholders on the design of COVID-19 response strategies but only 35% actively involved stakeholders in their design (OECD, 2021[16]). This could be due to governments prioritising speed over transparency and oversight.

CoGs also need to consider how they engage with different levels of government. Depending on the governance structure, many crisis management functions are fulfilled by local authorities. Most CoGs (14 out of 26) are responsible for co-ordinating crisis responses with subnational governments. Box 7.7 outlines Latvia’s engagement mechanism with these actors during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Some CoGs also adopted more innovative approaches to engaging with citizens and stakeholders during times of crisis (for example, utilising digital platforms or innovation challenges). Box 7.8 outlines one example from Estonia, which utilised a hackathon approach to try to better deal with the pandemic.

Effective public communication by the CoG in times of crisis is key. CoGs play a crucial role in disseminating clear, consistent and transparent information to the public, building trust and mitigating panic. This is increasingly more critical in the fight against dis- and misinformation (OECD, 2020[18]; 2020[19]). Finally, it can help reach specific segments of the population and facilitate dialogue with citizens who may be marginalised.

Responses to the OECD’s survey on strategic decision-making at the centre of government show that more than half of CoGs (58%) assume responsibilities related to communications and change management in times of crises (see Figure 7.5) (OECD, 2023[2]). During the COVID-19 pandemic, most CoGs adopted new protocols and guidelines to combat mis- and disinformation (Figure 7.4).

CoGs are working to make their messages and contents more compelling and adapted to specific or vulnerable segments of the population, including the use of social media (OECD, 2015[20]) (for example, countries like Australia, New Zealand and others utilised social media for public communication).

A good example is the United Kingdom’s Government Communication Service, which also brought in citizens’ insights during the pandemic. The service created a daily insights and evaluation dashboard for public communicators across the government. It summarises data collected through focus groups and surveys measuring public mood, trending topics and the state of public opinion on government measures. Similarly, the Finnish Prime Minister’s Office, in collaboration with the National Emergency Supply Agency and the private sector, has been working with social media influencers to provide clear and reliable information.

Clear language and the customisation of communication material have also proven effective in sharing complex information with different segments of the population. Disseminating information in more than one language to reach specific groups has also been observed in CoGs, such as in Belgium, where key messages were translated into nine languages. Several other CoGs, such as those in France and the United Kingdom, have promoted specific video, audio and written material.

Through the synthesis of information collected through country practices, desk research, interviews and the experiences shared by participants of the OECD informal Expert Group on Strategic Decision Making at the Centre of Government, the following key considerations can be identified.

  • One consideration for CoGs as they gain greater responsibilities during times of crisis is matching this with the right resources and capabilities. While many CoGs assumed new responsibilities during the COVID-19 crisis, in most cases, these increased responsibilities did not come with additional resources. Only 27% of CoGs experienced a change in the financial resources available to them, and only 23% had a change in staffing levels.

  • CoGs are often given additional decision-making powers during crises, which can create sensitivities and make it harder for citizens and stakeholders to understand and engage with the crisis management structures. CoGs need to balance these powers with well-defined structures that give due consideration to the needs of all of society, while maintaining trust and integrity in government decision-making.

  • A key challenge for CoGs is how to rapidly bring in trusted and impartial advice into decision-making while ensuring timely and accurate information is provided to the public. This challenge has been exacerbated by the effects of misinformation and disinformation.

  • CoGs can mobilize their national risk assessment process and complement it with a range of strategic foresight approaches to feed into strategic planning and crisis preparation. These include conducting scenario planning, horizon scanning, trend analysis, and debates on alternative futures with both policymakers and stakeholders. It is important to ensure that key institutions responsible for democratic accountability, such as parliaments and federated entities, are involved in assessments, and that these processes inform policy and decision-making.

  • CoGs could consider leveraging digital and data technology to engage with a broader audience and leverage knowledge from across the whole of society. It is important for CoGs to make use of trusted channels to communicate and engage citizens and stakeholders, both when preparing for crises, as well as when dealing with them.

  • CoGs may need to consider increasing oversight and accountability mechanisms for crisis management, for example through greater use of Parliamentary oversight, specialized commissions of inquiry, or audits conducted by Supreme Audit Institutions.

  • CoGs can utilize their coordination capacities to bring together different government bodies, scientific experts, and external partners in decision-making approaches. CoGs can utilize their central positioning to help ensure consistent, accurate, and trusted communication to the public and across all levels of government. In cases where CoGs lead such communications, they should pay attention to communication with vulnerable groups and minorities.

  • It is important to learn from crises, and CoGs can strengthen their crisis preparedness by ensuring there is a structured process for continually improving their capabilities. They could further leverage monitoring and post-crisis evaluations to learn from both ongoing (especially relevant for protracted crises like the COVID-19 pandemic) and from past crises (including those that happen in their country and further afield).

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