Dr Graeme Riddell

Dr Graeme Riddell’s PhD focused on incorporating uncertainty and complexity into disaster risk management and assessment. This is achieved by integrating foresight principles into disaster risk management to explore emergent risks. The research has produced specific approaches of how this can be achieved and describes and demonstrates this across case-study applications throughout Australia. There are also particular examples of how scenarios and scenario planning can be used for risk assessment and management and how they should be designed and modelled for greatest impact.

Alongside his PhD study, Graeme was involved with multiple CRC projects, conducting research as part of the Improved decision support for natural hazards risk reduction and Urban planning for natural hazard mitigation projects. Graeme was also one of the developers of the Unified Natural Hazard Risk Mitigation Exploratory Decision support system (UNHaRMED). The UNHaRMED scenario risk modelling tool helps government, planning authorities and emergency service agencies think through the costs and consequences of various options on preparing for major disasters on their urban infrastructure and natural environments. Importantly, it also allows future changes to be considered, giving a complete picture on the impact of certain polices and land use management decisions. This work is informing decision making in South Australia, Victoria, Tasmania and Western Australia, and has been highlighted by the Investor Group on Climate Change as a key tool to help navigate future climate risk. Graeme was also part of the research team that received the CRC’s 2017 Outstanding Achievement in Research award.

Graeme has been a regular speaker at conferences, including the CRC’s Research Forum and AFAC conferences in 2017, 2018 and 2019, as well as Adaptation Futures, European Geophysical Union, International Wildland Fire and Fuels Conference, and the International Disaster and Risk Conference. Graeme is now the Research Manager in Emerging Risks at Marsh McLennan, based in Singapore.