A new government register has outlined the serious risks facing the UK, including Vladimir Putin's potential to disrupt global energy supplies, the escape of a deadly pathogen from a laboratory,
and extreme weather events linked to the climate crisis.
The Cabinet Office published this register to help the country prepare for worst-case scenarios posed by various threats. In addition to future pandemics and "Putin's energy ransom," other key risks listed include malicious use of drones and cyber attacks on health and social care systems.
Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden is set to launch this comprehensive risk assessment, allowing the government and its partners to establish robust plans and be prepared for any eventualities. He will emphasize the significance of the first turbine installed at the world's largest offshore wind farm in standing up to Putin's energy tactics amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Data modeling and expert analysis have been used to calculate the likelihood and impact of each risk, with Russia's potential to disrupt global energy supplies assessed as relatively low (0.2% likelihood) along with the impact of the deadly pathogen release (1% likelihood).
The register also highlights the risk of wildfires and droughts, as well as extreme weather events like heatwaves and storms, which range from "significant" to "moderate" likelihood (1% to 25%).
The register's updated version includes newly listed risks such as the malicious use of drones, cyber attacks on health and social care systems, cyber attacks on transport, sabotage of undersea internet cables, and disruption to space-based services.
Other risks are assessed based on recent high-profile events, like the assassination of Conservative MP Sir David Amess, indicating a likelihood of over 25% for the assassination of a public figure.
The government aims to offer transparency through this comprehensive register, which is the first update since 2020 and designed to prepare the country for various potential scenarios. Photo by NVO, Wikimedia commons.