Reinhard Mechler

Research Group Leader and Senior Research Scholar

Systemic Risk and Resilience Research Group

Advancing Systems Analysis Program

Biography

Reinhard Mechler has over 20 years of experience analyzing and addressing socio-economic aspects of disaster and climate change risks. His interest is to provide evidence-based advice to a wide range of public and private sector decision-makers to improve decisions and build resilience against salient risks. Currently, he is the leader of the Systemic Risk and Resilience (SYRR) Research Group in the IIASA Advancing Systems Analysis (ASA) Program. He has also been a visiting professor at the University of Graz and is a senior lecturer at the University for Economics and Business in Vienna.

Dr. Mechler has led and contributed to many international research and consultancy projects and is currently leading research for the Flood Resilience Alliance, which brings together researchers, international NGOs, and the private sector to build disaster and climate resilience across the globe. He acted as a lead author on the IPCC's special report on managing the risks of extreme events and disasters to advance climate change adaptation (SREX), the 5th assessment report and the report on 1.5°C global warming, and is currently a lead author on the IPCC's 6th assessment report.

Areas of Expertise: Socio-Economics of natural disaster risk management and climate adaptation, climate risk and resilience, disaster risk management and climate change policy, loss and damage, climate finance.

Last update: 24 MAR 2021

Publications

Linnerooth-Bayer, J., Bals, C., & Mechler, R. (2010). Insurance as part of a climate adaptation strategy. In: Making Climate Change Work for Us. Eds. Hulme, M. & Neufedlt, H., Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 980521119412

Aaheim, A., Dokken, T., Hochrainer-Stigler, S., Hof, A., Jochem, E., Mechler, R. , van Vuuren, D.P., Neufeldt, H., & Wei, T. (2010). National responsibilities for adaptation strategies: Lessons from four modelling frameworks. In: Making Climate Change Work for Us. Eds. Hulme, M. & Neufedlt, H., Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 980521119412

van Vuuren, D.P., Isaac, M., Kundzewicz, Z.W., Arnell, N.W., Barker, T., Bauer, N., Berkhout, F., Hinkel, J., Hochrainer-Stigler, S., Hof, A., Kram, T., Lugeri, N., & Mechler, R. (2010). Scenarios as the basis for assessment of mitigation and adaptation. In: Making Climate Change Work for Us. Eds. Hulme, M. & Neufedlt, H., Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 980521119412

Mechler, R. , Hochrainer-Stigler, S., Aaheim, A., Kundzewicz, Z.W., Lugeri, N., & Moriondo, M. (2010). A risk management approach for assessing adaptation to changing flood and drought risks in Europe. In: Making Climate Change Work for Us. Eds. Hulme, M. & Neufeldt, H., Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 9780521119412

Hochrainer-Stigler, S., Mechler, R. , & Kull, D. (2010). Micro-insurance against drought risk in a changing climate: Assessing demand and supply considerations. International Journal of Climate Change Strategies and Management 2 (2) 148-166. 10.1108/17568691011040407.