3rd iNTeg-Risk Conference 2011: IRGC Workshop on Emerging Risks - 6 June 2011
As part of the annual iNTeg-Risk Conference, IRGC conducted a half-day workshop on the topic of contributing factors to risk emergence. A wide range of participants attended, from both public and private sectors (including from industry, academia, technical research institutes, consulting and insurance). During the workshop, IRGC gave an overview of the Emerging Risks project so far and presented the latest work being done in phase 2 of this project, which looks at ‘how to overcome obstacles to improve emerging risk anticipation and response’. IRGC also invited a number of respected risk analysts and practitioners to present and discuss on this topic.
The 3rd iNTeg-Risk Conference 2011 "Risk vs. Risk: Managing emerging risk tradeoffs in complex systems" took place in Stuttgart, Germany on June 6-10 2011, in conjunction with SRA-Europe 2011 Annual Meeting.
For more information: Visit iNTeg-Risk website
Workshop programme: View IRGC workshop programme on ’Emerging risks: contributing factors’ [PDF]
IRGC in Canada - 31 May 2011
On 31 May, a meeting was organised by IRGC and the Institute of Science, Society and Policy (ISSP) of the University of Ottawa, about the opportunity of creating an IRGC in Canada. About 20 participants, mainly from government and academia, discussed about the IRGC approach and some of the risk governance issues that Canada is facing.
The ISSP will serve as the interim secretariat of IRGC in Canada.
Slow moving risks with potentially catastrophic outcomes - August 2011
On 24-26 August 2011, IRGC organised an expert workshop on how to deal with risks that evolve slowly in a context of complex systems and that may have potentially catastrophic consequences. Their slow pace of evolution makes changes less perceptible, leading to their going unnoticed or – in the case that they are identified – being ignored because the change seems too small or gradual to warrant concern. Often, potential consequences seem so far off in the distant future that immediate action is dis-incentivised, because of high short-term costs and uncertain long-term benefits. However, in complex systems, small changes can sometimes lead to sudden and significant changes in behaviour and regime shifts, a point from which it is difficult or impossible to reverse the course of change and avert disaster. Examples of contexts in which such risk may materialise include ecosystems or demographic and social change.
IRGC is interested in identifying mechanisms that could be put in place in order to improve the governance of these types of risks, including the mechanisms by which:
scientists can better anticipate the evolution of such risks;
decision-makers’ are better equiped to act .
Emerging Risks Workshop - 16/17 December 2010
On 16 and 17 December, 2010, IRGC organised a workshop as part of phase 2 of its Emerging Risks project. The workshop focused on how to provide guidance to organisations that want to improve their own anticipation of and response to emerging risks. One aim was to identify whether organisational theory, behavioural science and decision theory could provide insights into how to overcome some of the well-known roadblocks to emerging risk anticipation. The participants came from diverse backgrounds and represented a wide range of expertise and many different perspectives. Many helpful ideas and suggestions were made that will inform the next phase of IRGC’s project on emerging risks.
The workshop was held at and supported by the Swiss Re Centre for Global Dialogue, near Zurich.
For more information: Visit the project page
2010 Governmental Forum - 24/25 November 2010
IRGC co-organised with the International Futures Programme of the OECD its third "governmental forum" on foresight in government, national risk assessment, country risk management and building a continuum between these functions.
The Forum was hosted by the Crown Prince Court of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.
For more information: View this document [PDF]
Emerging Risks: Call for contributions - 24 September 2010
We are looking for examples of how organisations have successfully anticipated or dealt with emerging risks.
For more information: Visit the project page