irgc 2013 presentation

international risk governance council @ EPFL, CM 1-517, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland | +41 (0)21 693 8290 | www.irgc.org

International Risk Governance Council Improving the risk governance of systemic risk

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© 2013 International Risk Governance Council | www.irgc.org


2012 has seen a disastrous typhoon Bopha in the Philippines, heavy flooding in Pakistan, earthquakes in Iran and northern Italy as well as destructive hurricane Sandy in North America resulting in severe damage in densely populated areas and the worst US power outage caused by a natural catastrophe. Natural catastrophes and man-made disasters claimed about 14 000 lives and resulted in worldwide economic losses of about USD 186 billion in 2012*. Firm efforts are required to further understand how to prevent and manage disasters and how to join efforts in science, public policy and private sector to tackle them. There is tremendous potential to affect change through the collaboration, research and dissemination of knowledge from an organisation like IRGC. * SwissRe Sigma 2/2013

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There has never been a more urgent time to address global risk governance.


We are a non-profit, independent, neutral and science-

based think tank based in Lausanne at EPFL (Swiss

Federal Institute of Technology).

Our mission is to help improve the understanding and

governance of systemic risks that have impacts on

human health and safety, on the environment, on the

economy and on society at large.

We provide innovative evidence-based tools and risk

governance guidelines to key decision makers in the

public and the private sector.

We do that by fostering a trusted network from

academia, governments and corporations around the

world. We stimulate knowledge sharing, issue-based

research and cooperation at and beyond regular

conferences.

IRGC is leading the way in assessment and dissemination of risk governance methods and best practices.

“Risk governance is made for complex problems. It looks at

how society makes collective decisions about technology

and activities that have uncertain consequences.

Four actors have the power to play: governments, civil

society (e.g. NGOs), industry and scientists. IRGC has the

ability to bring these groups together to share and to

collaborate.”

Prof. Ortwin Renn, University of Stuttgart;

Member of IRGC’s Scientific and Technical Council

international risk governance council @ EPFL, CM 1-517, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland | +41 (0)21 693 8290 | www.irgc.org 4

Given IRGC’s past successes and strong cross-sector partnerships, we have the potential to positively change the global discourse around risk governance for the good of humanity. With our extensive network of scientific experts, government and corporate stakeholders we can influence the decisions made regarding risk management policies in the developed world and in emerging economies. By continuing to expand our network we can raise awareness about the importance of risk governance in all areas of life: technology, health and safety, the environment and economy. The opportunity to affect change through improved risk governance practices and increased visibility is tangible and immediate. Identifying risk, demonstrating reward and providing incentives requires coordination on a global scale. This is the task of IRGC with all of our partners collaborating with greater urgency and efficiency than ever before. IRGC is in a unique position to work at the interface of business, government and science. Strategic investments from across sectors are vital to our success. Philippe Gillet Provost of EPFL (and President a.i. August 2013-January 2014)

Chairman of IRGC Foundation Board

Charles Kleiber former State Secretary for Education and Research, Switzerland, Co-founder and IRGC chairman 2010-2012

Prof. Granger Morgan Carnegie Mellon University, Department of Engineering and Public Policy Chairman of IRGC’s Scientific and Technical Council


Scientific and Technical Council

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Foundation Board

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North America

• Carnegie Mellon University (CMU), Department of Engineering and Public

Policy, USA

• Indiana University, School of Public and Environmental Affairs, USA

• Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Program on Emerging

Technologies, USA

Europe

• EPFL, Center on Risk Analysis and Governance (CRAG) Lausanne,

Switzerland

• IRGC Portugal, as a consortium of research institutions

• The Helmholtz Alliance ENERGY-TRANS, Germany

Asia

• Center for Science, Technology and Policy (CSTEP), India

• IRGC China, Center on Risk Governance at Tsinghua University, School of

Public Policy and Management

Academic institutions


1. Champion ignored, neglected and emerging issues 2. Mobilise the creation of risk governance cultures in developed and emerging economies 3. Help organisations across the globe anticipate and respond to risks more effectively 4. Facilitate scientific and technological innovation

Individually, each priority can make a difference in the way risk is assessed and managed. Combined, they can change the way the world views risk governance by making society safer, healthier, more productive and environmentally sustainable.

Our activities are guided by four priorities


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1. Champion ignored, neglected and emerging issues

IRGC explores issues that require multi-disciplinary expertise or that others are unwilling or unable to address, such as the governance of slow-developing catastrophic risks; the rebound effect in energy consumption and progressive regulation in pharmaceuticals or synthetic biology.

”We need better radar to help anticipate possible or likely risks..." Risk manager, private sector


2. Mobilise the creation of risk governance cultures in developed and emerging economies

In a globalised world, the role of emerging economies is often underestimated. The risk cultures and regulatory styles differ around the planet. A better mutual understanding of those is needed to improve global risk governance.

The risk voice is relatively low down in most organisations... IRGC can help move it up the agenda." Risk manager, private sector


3. Help organisations around the globe anticipate and respond to risks more effectively

IRGC has the ability to provide guidance to policymakers about risk issues of concern to them. In a rapidly-changing society new risks are rising all the time, threatening harm and causing a range of health, safety and environmental issues. By working with a strong global network to provide guidance and conduct seminars, IRGC aims to enable leaders to better handle risk assessment and crisis management.

“Everything is so obvious with hindsight...IRGC can help us lookahead.” Risk manager, public sector


New scientific tools and technology are critical for determining and understanding emerging risks, and for learning new methods to manage them. IRGC’s ability to benefit society through successful scientific innovation is obvious thanks to the expertise of its internationally based Scientific and Technical Council and academic network.

Facilitating this kind of innovation warrants careful attention to a mix of key regulatory factors, research and development incentives and clear communication of goals. Above all, the public intended to benefit from this work must accept and support innovation and its applications.

“A systematic and active strategy is needed to pursue new understand of risks and create a global culture of consciousness.” Scientist

4. Facilitate scientific and technological innovation


1. How science and technology can inform public policy;

How public and private strategies shape regulatory and risk

management frameworks for technological innovations

2. Development of methods and organisation of “forums” that aim to

improve the governance of systemic and emerging risks, in

particular those that have cascading or interconnected impacts.

3. Decentralisation to local, regional and sectorial contexts and

facilitation of an international academic network (e.g. IRGC China,

IRGC Portugal).

IRGC works on three facets 1. Improving risk governance

of and by technological development

2. Improving the capacity of governments and large public

and private sector organisations to deal with

systemic and emerging risks

3. Facilitating an international

academic network for risk governance


IRGC Methods and Tools to propose concepts and guidance for improving risk governance IRGC Special Issue Reports to disseminate findings and recommendations to a wide audience of scientists and practitioners IRGC Events to present and discuss on output of project work as well as other risk governance issues of concern to IRGC stakeholders

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IRGC reaches out to decision makers with:


IRGC continuously develops unique risk governance methods and tools. Those have consistently guided stakeholders in the governance decision making process. Therewith, it provides IRGC with the ability to address emerging economies through the development of new frameworks for governments. Examples include: • A framework for risk governance • Deficits frequently observed in risk governance – dealing with

them

• Contributing factors to risk emergence

• Guidelines for how organisations can improve their anticipation and early response to emerging risks (on-going work)

• Improving the governance of slow-developing catastrophic risks through better science-policy

All publications are available on www.irgc.org

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IRGC Methods and Tools


IRGC is widely recognised for its strong science-based contributions to the field of risk governance through its publications and research workshops. This opportunity seeks to further the organisation’s work in this area by focusing its reports on the current core themes and supporting dissemination of the publications to a wider audience. Examples include: • Understanding the rebound effect from energy

efficiency • Risk governance guidelines for unconventional gas

development • Risk governance of nanotechnology • Risk governance of synthetic biology • Risk governance guidelines for bioenergy policies • Governance of solar radiation management • Regulation of carbon capture and storage All publications are available on www.irgc.org

IRGC Special Issue Reports


The ability of IRGC to convene world experts, influencers and decision makers involved in risk governance in a neutral setting is one of the most noted aspects of the organisation. IRGC schedules these gatherings several times per year in different locations, providing opportunities for key stakeholders to come together, discuss and collaborate on issues of concern and interest to them. “From crisis management to risk governance”:

International conference and launch of IRGC China, Beijing, 9-11 January 2013

“Assessing and managing uncertainty”: Symposium jointly organised by IRGC and the EPFL Center on Risk Analysis and Governance, Lausanne, 20-22 November 2013

IRGC Events

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• Energy transition, with focus on the demand side and

consumer behaviour

• Biotechnology governance,

with focus on enabling, flexible and

adaptive regulation

• Governance of the “digital

world”: cyber-physical security, big data,

surveillance, data privacy, social

media and, in general, opportunities

and risks from the digital world

• Conference on innovation in risk

regulation

Priority areas for 2013-2014

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And also…

• Completion of the emerging risk

project

• Application guidelines / case studies

about the three risk governance

concepts.

• A seminar for junior

researchers within the IRGC

academic members, who are doing

research focused on risk governance

issues.


In a nutshell: IRGC provides evidence-based concepts and

recommendations to: 1. Raise awareness of today’s most urgent risk governance

issues affecting society, economy, infrastructure and the environment.

2. Alert the risk governance community about emerging,

ignored and neglected risks that have yet to become publicly apparent. For example, environmental, water and food security will be critical points to focus and to act on to ensure the health, safety and welfare of society.

3. Provide guidance to decision makers in the public and

private sectors in their long-term risk governance planning for their respective countries and communities.

4. Bring together the global risk governance community in

creative ways, allowing thought leaders to share ideas and to collaborate, implement research and create better tools, institutions and processes.


Join the IRGC community and support IRGC!

Thank you

irgc 2013 presentation

Education

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risk governance guidelines

importance of risk governance

risk analysis

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risk management policies

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