Iceland launches its CBSS Presidency of the Civil Protection Network
Iceland has formally launched its Presidency of the CBSS Civil Protection Network, with a focus on whole-of-society resilience, preparedness for natural hazards, crisis communication and recovery.
Iceland, which assumed the Presidency of the Council of the Baltic Sea States (CBSS) on 1 July 2026, formally launched its chairmanship of the CBSS Civil Protection Network (CPN) at a kick-off meeting on 24 September 2026.
The meeting gathered Directors General for civil protection and senior experts from across the network to set out the Icelandic Presidency’s priorities and planned activities in civil protection and preparedness.
A central priority of the Icelandic Presidency will be to promote a whole-of-society and all-hazards approach to resilience, recognising that effective preparedness and crisis management depend on close cooperation between national and local authorities, emergency and health services, civil society, volunteers, the private sector and local communities.
Iceland’s priorities draw in part on its recent experience of managing natural hazards and prolonged disruption. Volcanic activity on the Reykjanes Peninsula, including the evacuation of Grindavík, has demonstrated the importance of effective preparedness, coordinated response, trusted public communication, cross-sector cooperation and long-term recovery planning.
Drawing on these experiences, the Icelandic Presidency will notably focus on preparedness for natural hazards, early warning, crisis communication, evacuation and recovery, as well as psychological and social resilience. It will also promote exchanges on how new technologies can support preparedness, monitoring and informed decision-making.
“Over the past year, security and resilience issues were more firmly placed at the centre of CBSS cooperation,” said Gustav Lindström, Director General of the CBSS Secretariat. “Iceland will take forward the CPN’s important work, with resilience and preparedness also serving as a key component of its Presidency.”
Through the Civil Protection Network, the Icelandic Presidency will provide a platform for countries across the Baltic Sea Region to exchange experience, identify common challenges and strengthen practical cooperation on civil protection and preparedness.