Security in Urban Critical Infrastructures: Contribution of Standards for a Holistic Approach of Protection and Resilience

With the prediction by the United Nations that 60% of the world’s population will live in cities by the year 2030, it is apparent that the immediate global future is one of urbanisation. Central to the environmental and energy security as well as risk assessment in critical Infrastructures must therefore be the increasing domination of the cities. This population growth, needed economic growth, and social pressures for improved infrastructure coupled to the need for human health and ecological protection and environmental as well as energy security make systematic and transparent decision making a complex and often difficult task because of the several interdependencies of critical infrastructures. Evaluating complex technical data and developing risk management options requires implementation of standardization and embedded systems of information and communication technologies. In accordance to literature review, experience has demonstrated that direct transposition of risk assessment and risk management frameworks (e.g. those developed in the United States and European Union) may not work in regions whose social, legal, historical, political and economic situations are not suitable or prepared for acceptance of these methodologies. This paper reviews basic concepts defined in the field of urban security in Critical Infrastructures and extends its perception under the cross-sectoral aspect of standardization and harmonization in the involved technological areas. What are the defining characteristics that would ensure a city can not only survive in a manner acceptable to its current and future inhabitants, but also in a way that will not undermine the standardized and harmonized technologies and policies in national, European and international level. The existence of several EU seventh framework projects, specifically those relating to urban resilience and security could be used to feed into this direction.JRC.G.5-Security technology assessmen