Understanding and Managing Social-ecological Risks

This workshop is hosted by Sciences Po’s Social-Ecological Transitions (SET) initiative, with the support of the project EP+4

June 19th and 20th , 2025

Abstract

Ecological crises, starting with climate change, are expected to generate a new wave of social risks that will challenge welfare states across the globe. These so-called “social-ecological risks” are poised to alter both the incidence and distribution of existing social risks. They originate both directly from biophysical transformations, such as extreme weather events and other
environmental hazards, and indirectly from the distributive effects of environmental policies, which disproportionately affect certain social groups. These social-ecological risks are also bound to transform the traditional landscape of social policy. The current ecological crisis is already placing pressure on welfare institutions for a profound recalibration, similar to the changes prompted by the so-called “new risks” in the post-industrial transition (Bonoli, 2005). While the entrenched silos separating the governance of social and environmental policies may hinder such recalibration, existing policies could, in many
cases, provide protection against social-ecological risks. 

A growing body of scholarship has begun to explore the social-ecological nexus, establishing a vibrant research community. However, significant gaps remain in our understanding of social-ecological risks and the public policy responses to address them. What are the ecological and social risks of our time? Who is at risk? How are ecological issues and policies reshaping the
nature and distribution of social risks? How are welfare states protecting against social-ecological risks and contributing to social-ecological transitions? Are there new policies to be developed to cope with social-ecological risks? This workshop seeks to respond to similar questions, promoting an interdisciplinary discussion on social-ecological risks and policies.

Hosts

Matteo Mandelli (matteo.mandelli@sciencespo.fr), Anne-Laure (annelaure.beaussier@sciencespo.fr), Bruno Palier (bruno.palier@sciencespo.fr), Eloi Laurent (eloi.laurent@sciencespo.fr) and Tom Chevalier (tom.chevalier@sciencespo.fr)

Programme

June 19 th

12.30 | Arrival and lunch
13.30 | Welcoming by the organizers
13.45 |  Unveiling social-ecological risks (analytical frameworks)
Chair: Éloi Laurent

• Kajsa Emilsson (Lund University) & Christel Avendal (Halmstad University) 
  A scoping review of research on eco-social risks and inequality in a European context
  Discussant: Bruno Palier
• Matteo Mandelli, Anne-Laure Beaussier, Tom Chevalier & Bruno Palier (Sciences Po)
  Defining, Operationalizing and Classifying Socio-Ecological Risks
  Discussant: Kajsa Emilsson

14.45 | General discussion introduced by Giuliano Bonoli
15.15 | Coffee break
15.45 | Mapping social-ecological risks in the Global North & South
Chair: Matteo Mandelli

• Cassandre Rey-Thibault (Sciences Po)
  Coastal urban areas facing climate change: opportunities and barriers to move from silos to compound risks approaches
  Discussant: Narendra N. Dalei
• Narendra N. Dalei, Yash Pal & Pankaj Kumar (Central University of Himachal Pradesh)
  Evaluating Socio-Ecological Vulnerabilities and the Impact of Extreme Weather Events on Crop Diversification in Himachal Pradesh
  Discussant: Cassandre Rey-Thibault

16.45 | Coping with social-ecological risks
Chair: Anne-Laure Beaussier

• Aurore Fransolet (Université libre de Bruxelles) & Éloi Laurent (Sciences Po)
  The Matrix of Social-Ecological Risks: Conceptual Foundations and Application to Belgium
  Discussant: Katharina Bohnenberger
• Katharina Bohnenberger (Boku University) & Julia Beier (International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis)
  Social Protection of Eco-Social Risks: A Proposal for a European Environmental Risk Insurance
  Discussant: Aurore Fransolet

18.00 | Drinks & dinner 

June 20th

9.00 | Political economy of social-ecological attitudes
Chair: Tom Chevalier

• Pernilla Söderberg & Hanna Schwander (Humboldt University Berlin)
  Local climate risk and attitudes towards public climate action: Evidence from 259 European regions
  Discussant: Sophia Stutzmann
• Reto Bürgisser (University of Zurich) & Benedikt Seisl (University of Vienna)
  The Limits of Compensation: Perceived Vulnerability and Climate Policy Preferences
  Discussant: Manuele Citi
• Zhen Jie Im (Lappeenranta-Lahti University of Technology) & Manuele Citi (Copenhagen Business School)
  A multidimensional approach to public support for decarbonisation policies – the role of fairness
  Discussant: Hanna Schwander
• Liam Beiser-McGrath (London School of Economics), Sophia Stutzmann (University of Konstanz) & Muzhou Zhang (Aarhus University)
  Regional Inequality and Support for Place-Based Policies
  Discussant: Reto Bürgisser

11.00 | Coffee break
11.30 | International social-ecological policy paradigms
Chair: Bruno Palier

• Robin Schulze Waltrup (Bielefeld University), Milena Büchs (University of Leeds) & Alexandra Kaasch (Bielefeld University)
  Exploring the OECD’s role in defining and addressing socio-ecological risks
  Discussant: Peter McGowran
• Philippe Pochet (Catholic University of Louvain) & Taube Van Melkebeke (Green European Foundation)
  Addressing public policy and governance stages for European social-ecological protection
  Discussant: Robin Schulze Waltrup
• Peter McGowran (King’s College London), Molly Gilmour (Cardiff University), Faith Taylor (King’s College London) & Joel Gill (Cardiff University)
  Developing multi-hazard household preparedness: implications for social-ecological disaster risk management
  Discussant: Philippe Pochet

13.00 | Lunch
14.30 | Institutionalising social-ecological policies
Chair: Katharina Zimmermann

• Anne-Laure Beaussier & Tom Chevalier (Sciences Po)
  Protecting against social-ecological risks in Europe: a comparative perspective on environmental risk protection policies
  Discussant: Oana Calavrezo
• Taylor Brown (University of California, Berkeley)
  Climate Risk and the Welfare State: Exploring the Moderation of Climate-Adaptive Welfare and Ecowelfare on U.S. Welfare Enrollment after Natural Hazards
  Discussant: Anne-Laure Beaussier
• Oana Calavrezo (French Unemployment Insurance & University of Orléans) & Stéphanie Terrasse (French Unemployment Insurance)
  Natural disasters and short-time working: An empirical analysis between 2015 and 2022 in France
  Discussant: Taylor Brown

16.00 | Coffee break
16.30 | Towards a social-ecological welfare state
Chair: Giuliano Bonoli

• Mathilde Viennot, Marine de Montaignac & Alice Robinet (France Stratégie)
  Can We Socialize Climate Risks? The French Case
  Discussant: Pascale Vielle
• Pascale Vielle (Catholic University of Louvain)
  Building a social-ecological protection for Belgium
  Discussant: Mathilde Viennot
   

17.30 | End of workshop