IRGC 2013 presentation

International Risk Governance Council
Improving the risk governance of systemic risk

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

international risk governance council

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

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

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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IRGC is leading the way in assessment and dissemination of risk governance methods and best practices.
 We are a non-profit, independent, neutral and sciencebased 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.

“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

 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.


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

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

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


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Scientific and Technical Council



5

Foundation Board



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Academic institutions

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



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Our activities are guided by four priorities
1.
2.
3.
4.

Champion ignored, neglected and emerging issues
Mobilise the creation of risk governance cultures in developed and emerging economies
Help organisations across the globe anticipate and respond to risks more effectively
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.



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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
look ahead.”
Risk manager, public sector


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4. Facilitate scientific and technological innovation
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


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3. Facilitating an
international
academic network
for risk governance

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


IRGC works on three facets
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).


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IRGC reaches out to decision makers with:

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 Methods and Tools
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 Special Issue Reports

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



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IRGC Events

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



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Priority areas for 2013-2014
And also…

• Energy transition,
with focus on the demand side and
consumer behaviour

• Biotechnology governance,

•

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.

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



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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.



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Join the IRGC community
and support IRGC!
Thank you



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IRGC 2013 presentation

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