Raising the bar on risk reduction policy and planning

Learning from the past and predicting the future is difficult, especially when it comes to managing risk. Major disasters are inherently uncertain, while the science around them can be complex. Addressing this is research described in Hazard Note 13, which is an overview of the Governance and institutional knowledge cluster of research projects, tackling some of the most challenging policy, governance and communication issues confronting emergency management. This cluster has two linked studies.

• Scientific diversity, scientific uncertainty and risk mitigation policy and planning

• Policies, institutions and governance of natural hazards

These projects aim to provide a foundation for ensuring that responsibility for risk can be understood and shared transparently among all stakeholders. Download the Hazard Note via the link above. More information about each project is available on the project pages, including completed reports referred to in the Hazard Note.

Additionally, the short video below features cluster lead researcher Prof Stephen Dovers (The Australian National University) discussing why the research is important and the main problems the Governance and institutional knowledge cluster is trying to solve.