Natural Hazards, Georisks, and Globalization: From basic research to risk governance

The Geo. X conference provides an international, interdisciplinary platform to discuss the role of the Earth Sciences for increasing the resilience of society to natural hazards. Scientists of various disciplines are encouraged to communicate their perspective on current topics that (i) pose serious challenges to society and that (ii) call for new approaches and scientific solutions. The conference themes define a framework for innovative inter- and trans-disciplinary research activities at the interface between geosciences and relevant disciplines from natural and engineering sciences, social sciences, humanities, and politics.

Both the number of hazardous events caused by geological, hydrological, and meteorological extremes and the severity of their impacts have dramatically increased over the past decades. Large risks are not limited to the countries that are traditionally most frequently affected by natural hazards, since low-frequency of damaging events can result in a loss of knowledge, a growing lack of preparedness, and a degradation of technical resilience measures. Furthermore, changes in society and in the Earth's system may lead to both increased risks and the emergence of new risks.

Even in technologically advanced societies, the challenges brought about by natural hazards demand transfer from the geoscientific knowledge to the institutions in charge of mitigating the risks–hence there is critical need to better integrate geosciences and politics in research and innovation.

Our panel discussion will be based on first results of the internal workshop of the Geo.X conference. This workshop is centered around the question, how prospective georisk research can contribute effectively to the development of risk-governance structures. The recommendations are devised by experts from geo- and social sciences, as well as by stakeholders from politics, economy, and authorities. Our experts will integrate conclusions from the 'Hyogo Framework for Action', approved by the UN World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction 2015 in Sendai (Japan), into their considerations.

The closing event of the Geo.X Conference 2015 is intended to present and discuss first conclusions of our Geo.X Internal Workshop to the question how research, politics, and social requirements for safety can be better connected in future?

Thursday, 26 March 2015

16:15 – 20:00
Wasserturm, EUREF-Campus 13
Torgauer Str. 12-15, 10829 Berlin

Natural Hazards, Georisks and Globalization:
From basic research to risk governance

On the panel:

Prof. Dr. Dr. Dr. h.c. mult. Klaus Töpfer
Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies e.V. - IASS

Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Reinhard Hüttl
German Research Centre for Geosciences – GFZ

Albrecht Broemme
  Federal Agency for Technical Relief– THW

Dr. Hinrich Thölken
Federal Foreign Office

Prof. Dr. Jakob Rhyner
United Nations University Institute for Evironment and Human Security

Facilitation:
Marie-Luise Beck
Deutsches Klima-Konsortium - DKK e.V.

Program

There will be simultaneous translation from German into English.

The participation is free of charge.