Emerging Risks is not only highly topical at the moment, it is an issue which has been shouldering its way up the priority rankings, increasingly capturing the attention of the academic community, policy makers, regulatory bodies, commercial stakeholders and the public alike. Emerging risks, defined as developing or changing risks that pose unintended socio-economic consequences, are difficult to quantify. They include water scarcity, climate change, nanotechnology, regulation, biodiversity loss, and energy and food insecurity. The penetration, combination and range of emerging risks impacts was highlighted by the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, which caused one of the largest ecological disasters in history. Consideration of emerging risks has percolated into mainstream natural hazard risk assessment and are integral parts of projects such as Global Earthquake Model (GEM) program.

The scientific community has a critical role to play in assessing the combined impacts of emerging risks, both in the public and private sectors. This session will bring together academics, industry representatives, and public policymakers to discuss the individual and collaborative roles which must be played in order to advance our understanding of the scope and impacts of emerging risks, readying and equipping us to deal appropriately with the same.

Speakers will include Robert Muir Wood (Risk Management Solutions),
Stuart Lane (Durham University), Trevor Maynard (Lloyd's of London)
Chair of Session: Tricia Holly Davis (Willis Research Network)