EU cybersecurity and cyber diplomacy

Over the last decades cybersecurity has become a cornerstone of European digital development. Alongside with the diffusion of information and communication technologies and the deepening (as well as widening) of the European Union, the initial narrow and sectoral data security policies have expanded into a comprehensive cybersecurity framework addressing issues from resilient infrastructure and technological sovereignty, through tackling cybercrime, to cyber defence capabilities and responsible state behaviour in cyberspace. In this complex web of interrelated policies a relative newcomer at the European Union (EU) level is cyber diplomacy. Sometimes also called public diplomacy 2.0, it factors into the cross-border connectivity of cyberspace and reflects a shift in international relations where the lines between external and internal policies, military and civilian domains are blurred. However, the term cyber diplomacy is fluid and it is not well understood which topics should be under its “umbrella”, in particular in relation to cybersecurity, where it seems to be linked the most. This article aims to map existing and proposed instruments that make up the EU’s arsenal in this broad context to answer the following questions: what is cyber diplomacy and how is it related to the EU cybersecurity? Is cyber diplomacy in the EU becoming something in its own right as a distinct set of tools to secure the EU policy objectives?

Optimizing the Potential Impact of Energy Recovery and Pipe Replacement on Leakage Reduction in a Medium Sized District Metered Area

The drive for sustainable societies with more resilient infrastructure networks has catalyzed interest in leakage reduction as a subsequent benefit to energy recovery in water distribution systems. Several researchers have conducted studies and piloted successful energy recovery installations in water distribution systems globally. Challenges remain in the determination of the number, location, and optimal control setting of energy recovery devices. The PERRL 2.0 procedure was developed, employing a genetic algorithm through extended period simulations, to identify and optimize the location and size of hydro-turbine installations for energy recovery. This procedure was applied to the water supply system of the town of Stellenbosch, South Africa. Several suitable locations for pressure reduction, with energy recovery installations between 600 and 800 kWh/day were identified, with the potential to also reduce leakage in the system by 2 to 4%. Coupling the energy recovery installations with a pipe replacement model showed a further reduction in leakage up to a total of above 6% when replacing 10% of the aged pipes within the network. Several solutions were identified on the main supply line and the addition of a basic water balance, to the analysis, was found valuable in preliminarily evaluation and identification of the more sustainable solutions.

Infrastructure Resilience in the Samoas: Policy Approaches

<p>‘Resilience’ is a term that is increasingly being used regarding community development issues. It is a particular issue on Pacific Islands where development issues exist, and the exposure of communities to natural hazards is apparent. Climate change is increasingly affecting Pacific Island communities. Many Pacific Island communities live on low-lying atolls, and communities on ‘high’ islands are generally located close to the coast. Both sets of communities are therefore highly exposed to storm and high seas events. Additionally, earthquake, tsunami and volcanic hazards exist. Infrastructure is a key aspect of resilience. Policies and technical issues regarding infrastructure resilience globally are the subject of a literature review. Research presented compares the policies taken to resilient infrastructure in (Western) Samoa against those taken in American Samoa. These two territories shared common cultural histories until the 19th century, both are ‘high’ islands and both face a similar range of natural hazards faced due to their relative close proximity in the Pacific Ocean. Analysis highlights where lessons can be learnt both globally and from the Samoas’ approaches to resilient infrastructure. The lessons learnt in this thesis include the value of taking a holistic approach to disaster risk reduction, involving the community in hazard identification and disaster risk reduction, and working on these issues in a timely manner. Additionally, it is seen that careful long-term planning of land use with natural hazards in mind, which is found to be an economically sound approach, is of value in disaster risk reduction.</p>

Infrastructure Resilience in the Samoas: Policy Approaches

<p>‘Resilience’ is a term that is increasingly being used regarding community development issues. It is a particular issue on Pacific Islands where development issues exist, and the exposure of communities to natural hazards is apparent. Climate change is increasingly affecting Pacific Island communities. Many Pacific Island communities live on low-lying atolls, and communities on ‘high’ islands are generally located close to the coast. Both sets of communities are therefore highly exposed to storm and high seas events. Additionally, earthquake, tsunami and volcanic hazards exist. Infrastructure is a key aspect of resilience. Policies and technical issues regarding infrastructure resilience globally are the subject of a literature review. Research presented compares the policies taken to resilient infrastructure in (Western) Samoa against those taken in American Samoa. These two territories shared common cultural histories until the 19th century, both are ‘high’ islands and both face a similar range of natural hazards faced due to their relative close proximity in the Pacific Ocean. Analysis highlights where lessons can be learnt both globally and from the Samoas’ approaches to resilient infrastructure. The lessons learnt in this thesis include the value of taking a holistic approach to disaster risk reduction, involving the community in hazard identification and disaster risk reduction, and working on these issues in a timely manner. Additionally, it is seen that careful long-term planning of land use with natural hazards in mind, which is found to be an economically sound approach, is of value in disaster risk reduction.</p>

Exploring the Role of Digital Infrastructure Asset Management Tools for Resilient Linear Infrastructure Outcomes in Cities and Towns: A Systematic Literature Review

Linear infrastructure such as roads, railways, bridges and tunnels enable critical functionality within and between metropolitan and regional cities and towns, facilitating the movement of goods and services, as part of vibrant, thriving economies. However, these asset types are typically challenged by costly asset management schedules and continually eroding maintenance and refurbishment budgets. These challenges are compounded by the increasing frequency and intensity of disruptive events such as fire, floods, and storm-surge that can damage or destroy property. The United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 9 (SDG-9) highlights the urgent need for enabling evidence-based decision making for infrastructure asset management (IAM). Around the world, digital engineering (DE) efforts are underway to streamline the capture, processing, and visualization of data for IAM information requirements, towards timely and evidence-based decision support that enables resilient infrastructure outcomes. However, there is still limited understanding about which IAM information can be digitized and the types of tools that can be used. This study sought to address this knowledge gap, through reviewing the extent of available and emerging linear infrastructure related DE technologies and their IAM information requirements. A systematic literature review elicited 101 relevant conceptual and empirical papers, which were subsequently evaluated with regard to the extent and characteristics of digital infrastructure asset management tools. Findings are discussed using three themes that emerged from the analysis: (1) DE tools and their IAM asset information requirements; (2) Interoperability and integration of DE tools across IAM platforms; and (3) Application of DE tools to enable resilient linear infrastructure outcomes. A ‘Digital Technology Integration Matrix’ is presented as an immediately useful summary for government and industry decision-makers, particularly in the field of disaster management preparedness and recovery. The Matrix communicates the synthesis of tools and likely end-users, to support effective data gathering and processing towards more timely and cost-effective infrastructure asset management. The authors conclude with a research roadmap for academics, including recommendations for future investigation.

Sea Level Rise Drivers and Projections from Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6) under the Paris Climate Targets: Global and around the Korea Peninsula

Estimating future sea level rise (SLR) projections is important for assessing coastal risks and planning of climate-resilient infrastructure. Therefore, in this study, we estimated the future projections of SLR from Coupled Model Intercomparison Project phase 6 (CMIP6) models for three climate targets (1.5 °C (T15), 2.0 °C (T20), and 3.0 °C (T30)) described by the Paris Agreement. The global SLR projections are 60, 140, and 320 mm for T15, T20, and T30, respectively, relative to the present-day levels. Similarly, around the Korean Peninsula, SLR projections become more intense with continuous global warming (20 mm (T15), 110 mm (T20), and 270 mm (T30)). Ocean variables show a slow response to climate change. Therefore, we developed the Emergence of Climate Change (EoC) index for determining the time when the variable is not following the present climate trend. The EoC of SLR appears after the EoC of sea-ice melting near the time of T15 warming. Moreover, the EoC of thermal expansion appears around the 2040s, which is similar to the time of the maximum of the T15 warming period and the median of the T20 warming period. Overall, our analysis suggests that the T15 warming may act as a trigger and SLR will accelerate after the T15 warming.