NATO and Baseline Resilience
NATO 7 Baseline Requirements for National Resilience
The 7 NATO Baseline Requirements for National Resilience were agreed at the 2016 Warsaw Summit as part of NATO’s civil preparedness framework. They define the minimum conditions required for a country to continue functioning during war, hybrid attack, cyber attack, terrorism, major disaster, or systemic shock.
1. Continuity of Government and Critical Government Services
The state must remain capable of governing during a crisis.
- Leadership continuity
- Ongoing decision-making capability
- Emergency communications systems
- Operational public administration
2. Resilient Energy Supplies
Nations require stable and protected energy infrastructure.
- Backup power systems
- Fuel reserves
- Grid redundancy
- Protection against sabotage and cyber attacks
- Diversified energy supply chains
3. Ability to Manage Uncontrolled Movement of People
Countries must be able to respond to sudden population movements.
- Refugee management
- Evacuation procedures
- Border pressure management
- Coordination between civilian and military mobility
4. Resilient Food and Water Resources
Essential food and water systems must continue operating during crises.
- Safe drinking water supply
- Food distribution continuity
- Agricultural resilience
- Protection against contamination or sabotage
5. Ability to Deal with Mass Casualties and Health Crises
Healthcare systems must maintain capacity during emergencies.
- Hospital surge capacity
- Medical stockpiles
- Emergency triage systems
- Pandemic response capability
- Medical evacuation systems
6. Resilient Civil Communications Systems
Communications infrastructure must remain operational during attacks or disruptions.
- Telecommunications resilience
- Internet backbone protection
- Cyber resilience
- Emergency broadcasting systems
- Backup communication networks
- Secure government communications
7. Resilient Transport Systems
Transport infrastructure must continue functioning under stress.
- Military mobility support
- Civilian logistics continuity
- Emergency transportation capability
- Infrastructure redundancy
Core Civil Preparedness Functions
NATO’s resilience framework is built around three primary functions:
- Continuity of government
- Continuity of essential services
- Civil support to military operations
Strategic Perspective
NATO increasingly views civilian infrastructure as part of the modern battlespace. Resilience now includes not only military strength, but also the ability of society to continue operating under severe stress.
- Energy resilience
- Telecommunications resilience
- Supply chain continuity
- Industrial capacity
- Institutional continuity
- Public trust and social stability