International Risk Governance Center
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The International Risk Governance Center (IRGC) is a neutral interdisciplinary center based at the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) in Lausanne, Switzerland. IRGC develops risk governance strategies that focus on involving all key stakeholder groups, including citizens, governments, businesses and academia. It exists to improve the understanding, management and governance of emerging and systemic risks that may have significant adverse consequences for human health and the environment, the economy and society. Its mission includes "developing concepts of risk governance, anticipating major risk issues and providing risk governance policy advice for key decision-makers."<ref>Mission and Purpose IRGC. Retrieved 10 April 2015</ref>
History
IRGC began as a non-profit called the International Risk Governance Council in 2003, when academics from various countries proposed to the Swiss State Secretariat for Education and Research to create an international and independent body with the mission to develop and implement concepts and actions to improve the governance of risk. The Swiss Federal Assembly then created the International Risk Governance Council to bridge increasing gaps between science, technological development, decision-makers, and the public.<ref>Botschaft über die Förderung von Bildung, Forschung und Technologie in den Jahren 2004–2007. Federal Gazette (2003). Retrieved 06 August 2014.</ref> It was formally founded in Geneva as a private foundation in June 2003.<ref>Eidgenössisches Departement des Innern Template:Webarchive. Retrieved 06 August 2014</ref>José Mariano Gago, the former Portuguese Minister for Science and Higher Education, was the first chairman of the Foundation Board followed by Donald J. Johnston and Granger M. Morgan. Wolfgang Kröger was the founding rector.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
In July 2012, the council was granted special consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).<ref>List of non-governmental organizations in consultative status with the Economic and Social Council as of 1 September 2013. United Nations Economic and Social Council. Retrieved 06 August 2014.</ref> As of January 1, 2013, the International Risk Governance Council signed a formal collaboration agreement with EPFL and moved to Lausanne. The goal of this move was strengthened collaboration with academia, which allowed the council to expand its academic network and further develop its science-based approach. In July 2014, it became a member of the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN).<ref>SDSN Welcomes New Members. Sustainable Development Solutions Network. Retrieved 06 August 2014.</ref>
In 2016, the Council became the International Risk Governance Center (IRGC) at EPFL, where it continues to develop the original mission and activities.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Activities
IRGC's work is rooted in the IRGC Risk Governance Framework,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> which was developed to provide guidance to organizations and society for identifying and managing risks in situations of complexity, uncertainty or ambiguity. IRGC develops risk governance concepts and has developed numerous frameworks, including on the governance of emerging<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and systemic<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> risks. These frameworks are applied to a wide range of specific risk domains.
IRGC's frameworks are used by numerous institutions and organizations, including the European Food Safety Authority,<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> the Health Council of the Netherlands,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> the US Environmental Protection Agency,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> the OECD,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and the European Commission.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
At EPFL, IRGC is one of the centers that act at the interface between academic research and education, and business and policy. IRGC interacts with the EPFL community and contributes a risk governance approach to their activities.
In recent years, IRGC has focused increasingly on risks associated with emerging technologies. Currently, IRGC is active in the areas of nanotechnology,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> climate engineering,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> the low-carbon transition,<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> space debris collision risk,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> deepfakes,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and governance of digital technology.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Past areas of focus include biosecurity,<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> precision medicine,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> synthetic biology,<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> unconventional gas development, bioenergy, and critical infrastructure.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>