Are we entering the age of resilience?
Interview: We ask Jens Brandt Bering, CEO of NIRAS, whether “resilience” became the most important word of the year 2025.
The war in Ukraine, geopolitical uncertainty, hybrid threats, trade wars and tariffs. Europe is a changed continent, where a booming defence industry has top priority and the strong focus on sustainability seen in recent years has experienced a historic slowdown in western economies.
At the same time, climate change and its cascading effects continue to challenge both human lives and the balance of nature. Perhaps it is fair to say that Europe has awakened to a reality that much of the rest of the world has long been familiar with.
Did “resilience” become your favourite word in 2025?
“It’s a good word. But I think many of us are still in the process of shifting our mindset, from the recent years’ strong focus on rapidly implementing sustainable progress on a global scale to a new reality where resilience and robustness take centre stage. So it’s not my favourite word yet, but it is certainly an important one.”
What does resilience mean for NIRAS?
“Overall, it means two things for us. First, that we must become even better at applying our many areas of technical expertise to make our clients’ solutions more secure and robust, just as naturally as we help ensure health and safety on construction sites or energy savings today. Second, that we must contribute globally to two key priorities we have long been working towards, increased security of supply and more climate-adapted societies.”
“Still, I believe that NIRAS’s values, owners and employees demonstrate agility and resilience, and that gives me reason for optimism.”Jens Brandt Bering, CEO
Will a stronger focus on resilience mean less sustainability?
“Yes, in the short term it will. Increased defence investments and a deprioritisation of climate initiatives will, in particular, come at the cost of unrealised CO₂ reductions. Over a longer time horizon, however, we must remember that certain aspects of resilience, such as energy independence and climate adaptation, do not necessarily have to be at odds with the green transition.
Security of supply, as well as energy and food prices, must be carefully balanced with the electrification of our continent and the transition to more sustainable societies. Otherwise, we risk losing public support, and the green transition will first stall and then begin to reverse.”
Will the climate agenda lose ground to defence investments?
"That is a very real risk. However, I don’t believe it has to be a question of either/or. Rather, resilience and sustainability must go hand in hand. A solution cannot be truly sustainable if it is not also resilient. And equally, resilience that comes at the expense of long-term sustainability is not a viable path forward. The most obvious example is the green energy transition.
For engineering consultancies working at the intersection of critical infrastructure, life science and food production, energy, water, healthcare facilities and climate adaptation, this balance is becoming increasingly important. We need to design solutions that both reduce environmental impact and strengthen society’s ability to cope with uncertainty and change. This is a discussion – and a dilemma – we need to be mindful of. It adds another layer of complexity to the societal challenges and investments ahead."
Will NIRAS enter 2026 as a resilient company?
“I would like to be able to say yes, but that would be overconfident. Like the societies we are part of, NIRAS as a company is also facing challenges arising from unpredictable tariffs, turbulence in the pharmaceutical and food industries, a more or less complete shutdown of U.S. development aid, and a slowdown in the expansion of renewable energy. Still, I believe that NIRAS’s values, owners and employees demonstrate agility and resilience, and that gives me reason for optimism.”
For more perspectives
Visit NIRAS’s Annual Report 2025 for more information on resilience and sustainability.
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