Research
Professor Ilan Noy and his team of researchers study the economics of disasters, including earthquakes, epidemics, droughts, and cyclones.
What makes a disaster?
The seriousness of a disaster depends on the combination of hazard, exposure, and vulnerability. A hazard might be a tropical cyclone. Exposure describes the people, assets, and ecosystems that are present when and where the cyclone occurs. And vulnerability reflects the ability of the cyclone to harm or damage whatever was exposed to it. For example, a cyclone becomes a disaster when it hits land if, and only if, there is infrastructure there that can be damaged by its force. The same is true for other hazards, like earthuquakes, drought, or epidemics.
What we research
Our research group studies the economic impact of disasters both in New Zealand and overseas. Some of the main areas of research focus include:
- measuring the short- and long-term impacts of disasters on communities and economies
- devising new tools for measuring the cost of disasters
- quantifying post-disaster emergency aid and fiscal needs
- developing risk transfer tools, and
- investigating and projecting shocks to different sectors of the economy, such as insurance, property, health, education, or agriculture.
Who we work with
The team's research is often multi-disciplinary and performed in collaboration with academics and practitioners in such fields as planning, geography, hydrology, and atmospheric physics. We work closely with other research initiatives in New Zealand, including:
- QuakeCoRE
- Resilience to Nature’s Challenges
- Deep South National Science Challenge
- New Zealand Climate Change Research Institute
- Whakahura - extreme events and the emergence of climate change
Ilan is the founding editor of Economics of Disasters and Climate Change, a journal launched in 2017 and published by Springer Nature.
Main research areas
![erupting-volcano Massive billowing clouds from an eruption of Mt Sinabung, Indonesia. Photo: Yosh Ginsu, Unsplash.](https://www.wgtn.ac.nz/__data/assets/image/0008/1803545/varieties/ls_medium.jpg)
Consequences of disasters
We study the effects of disasters over different time frames.
![firefighters-aftermath Silhouettes of two firefighters in helmets spraying water on burnt tropical shanty house with corrugated roof iron in foreground. Aftermath of fire in Philippines. Photo: Denniz Futalan, Pexels.](https://www.wgtn.ac.nz/__data/assets/image/0003/1811991/varieties/ls_medium.jpg)
The cost of climate change
We partner with attribution scientists to study extreme event costs.
![mississippi-aerial Satellite view of bright green Mississippi River and brown, blocky landscape, Photo: USGS, Unsplash.](https://www.wgtn.ac.nz/__data/assets/image/0010/1811989/varieties/ls_medium.jpg)
Measuring losses
We study new ways to measure losses.
![uk-farmland Aerial view of Melton Mowbray, UK, a rural area of England with mostly brown fields in small blocks, Photo: Dan Roizer, Unsplash.](https://www.wgtn.ac.nz/__data/assets/image/0005/1811993/varieties/ls_medium.jpg)
Specific sectoral impacts
How do disasters affect particular sectors of the economy, such as insurance, agriculture, or health?
![severe-drought Dry cracked lake bed with little water against a background of a setting sun over mountains.](https://www.wgtn.ac.nz/__data/assets/image/0008/1803617/varieties/ls_medium.jpg)
Case studies
Each disaster is different. What can we learn from studying the specifics of particular case studies?
![building-under-repair People on scaffolding work on a building](https://www.wgtn.ac.nz/__data/assets/image/0010/1850959/varieties/ls_medium.jpg)
Risk reduction and mitigation
Disaster risk can be reduced or mitigated with policies and incentives. Our team has been examining several possibilities.
![Whakahura satellite typhoon Satellite image of swirling white weather system over New Zealand](https://www.wgtn.ac.nz/__data/assets/image/0006/1942746/varieties/ls_medium.jpg)
Whakahura—extreme events and the emergence of climate change
Whakahura is a five-year multidisciplinary programme funded by the Hīkina Whakatutuki Ministry of Business, Innovation, and Employment (MBIE).
Ilan's personal website includes more detail about his research.