Wharton Risk Management and
Decision Processes Center
The Wharton Risk Management and Decision Processes Center, established in 1985, is a research center affiliated with the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. Engaging students and faculty throughout the University in collaborations, research projects, and other partnerships, the Center is recognized worldwide as a leader in risk-related research and policy analysis. The Risk Center also serves as a bridge between scholars at Penn and organizations and decision-makers in the public and private sectors.
The Business, Climate, and Environment Lab will support cutting edge research, provide thought leadership, and bring together stakeholders from academia, government, communities, and the private sector to design smart public and private sector policies related to topics such as climate change, renewable energy, air and water pollution, waste disposal, biodiversity, and deforestation. Sarah E. Light and Arthur van Benthem are the faculty members responsible for leading the lab. Current projects and contributing Wharton scholars can be found on the lab page.
The world now struggles to halt the spread of the novel coronavirus and the impacts are rippling through the global economy. Sound risk management is more important than ever. At the Wharton Risk Center, we engage with our partners to meaningfully support management of evolving threats, such as this one.
Risk Center resources and contributions from our scholars will be added to the site as made available. See the resources here.
Making a Case for Climate Change Adaptation
“Since founding the Risk Center 35 years ago, co-director Howard Kunreuther has been examining how human beings grapple with all sorts of catastrophes.” The long history of climate risk research that the Risk Center has done is highlighted in the Spring/Summer 2020 Issue of the Wharton Magazine.
Student Solutions to Climate Risk
In honor of the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, we have included submissions from Penn Students to our Climate Risk Solutions. These student voices join faculty and researchers from across multiple schools, departments, and research centers at the university. A synthesis report of the faculty solutions can be found here.
2019 Wharton Risk Center Annual Report
We’re pleased to share our 2019 annual report. You will find details of our five new Research Labs and highlights of outreach and engagement activities, news items, publications and conferences, as well as a directory of staff, faculty, and research fellows associated with the Risk Center.
Featured Publications
In the News
Preserving Small Business in the Aftermath of the Coronavirus Catastrophe
BRINK
Risk Center Executive Director Carolyn Kousky, Co-Director Howard Kunreuther and Senior Fellows Alexander Braun and Benjamin Collier offer their insights on public-private partnership opportunities and other policy approaches to business interruption due to the Coronavirus.
What the Coronavirus Curve Teaches Us About Climate Change
Politico
Howard Kunreuther, and Risk Center Senior Fellow, Paul Slovic, compare the challenges of the coronavirus with those of climate change. “As with the coronavirus, we need to anticipate the climate crisis and act quickly and aggressively to minimize further damages before they overwhelm us.”
Can insurance lessen the economic costs of the coronavirus pandemic?
The Hill
Op-Ed by Carolyn Kousky: “While insurance typically provides financial assistance in response to a damaging event, innovative risk transfer solutions are now starting to be used to actually prevent a disaster or to halt cascading impacts in the economy.”
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Contact
Wharton Risk Management
and Decision Processes Center
St. Leonard’s Court | Suite 130
3819 Chestnut Street
Philadelphia, PA 19104
P: 215-898-5688
F: 215-573-2130