How to use economics in natural hazards - training course

15 Apr 2021

How to use economics in natural hazards management

The How to use economics in natural hazards management training course is backed by CRC research from the University of Western Australia. Offered as free training, the course will upskill and build capacity within the emergency management sector so that natural hazard managers and practitioners feel more confident to both commission and use economic information to aid their decision making.

ALL FOUR GROUPS ARE NOW FULLY BOOKED

Who it is for?

The free course is intended for natural hazard managers, practitioners and emergency management personnel that wish to improve their understanding of economic evaluation methods for mitigation of natural hazards.

As spaces are limited due to the online nature of the training, preference will be given to attendees who are from an organisation that is a member of the Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC. This includes most emergency service and land management departments around Australia. If you are unsure if your organisation is a member, see the participating organisations list. Please note that organisations listed as 'collaborators' are not members of the CRC. If space allows, the course will be open to those on the waiting list from any organisation.

What will attendees learn?

Attendees will learn how to conduct a benefit:cost analysis of mitigation options for natural hazards, and how to use and interpret the results. This includes learning how to use the Economic Assessment Screening Tool and how to integrate information from the Value Tool for Natural Hazards into the Economic Assessment Screening Tool. Both of these tools were developed by the University of Western Australia and the Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC. Through the training and the use of the tools, participants will become more familiar with economic evaluation methods, understand data requirements, and learn how to integrate non-market values into economic analyses and to use and interpret the information derived from these analyses.

To support course participants in their learning, a video series on the economics of natural hazards management has been created. In the videos, key economic principles are explained in simple terms. Watch the first video in the series of ten at the bottom of this page with course facilitator Dr Veronique Florec to see an overview of the different types of economic analysis and their purposes in the natural hazards context.

When?

The training course will be conducted in four groups. Each group will have four sessions of one and a half hours each. Participants should be able to attend all four sessions to get the most out of the training.

Group two: 15, 22, 29 April and 6 May – 11am AWST/12.30pm ACST/1pm AEST/3pm NZST for one and a half hours each. - SOLD OUT

Group three: 20, 27 April, 4 and 11 May - 11am AWST/ 12:30pm ACST/1pm AEST/3pmNZST for one and a half hours each - SOLD OUT

Group four: 13, 20, 27 May, 3 June – 11am AWST/12.30pm ACST/1pm AEST/3pm NZST for one and a half hours each - SOLD OUT

Please note, there is a minimum number of attendees required for each group for the course to run. If the minimum number has not been reached, those registered will be advised. Likewise, there is a maximum number of attendees for each group. If your preferred group is full, please try another group, or go on the waiting list by contacting Vaia Smirneos (details below).

Where?

Zoom, log in details to follow once registered.

Structure

Session one will cover an introduction to the Economic Assessment Screening Tool and how it can be used to estimate the value for money derived from different investments in mitigation.

Session two will unpack the Economic Assessment Screening Tool and go deeper into the calculations that are conducted behind the scenes so that participants can understand what the tool is doing in the background.

Session three will focus on integrating non-market values extracted from the Value Tool for Natural Hazards into the Economic Assessment Screening Tool.

Session four will focus on a topic that course participants would like to learn more about. This topic will be selected by participants halfway through the course.

During each session, participants will work through an exercise that presents the different steps required to conduct an economic evaluation of mitigation options. Participants will also have a set of exercises to do on their own outside of the course (30 to 60 minutes after each session) to improve their understanding of the processes involved in economic evaluations of natural hazard mitigation.