Monday, July 10, 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. MDT
Location: Interlocken A/B

Natural hazard mitigation saves. Rigorous cost-benefit analyses and influential report after report has shown that mitigation makes sound economic sense. But equitable risk reduction efforts also make moral sense for society. Mitigation is about more than preserving the monetary worth of investments. Mitigation activities, at their core, also involve expressions of what and who we value and how we protect current and future generations. Panelists in this opening plenary session will make the case that mitigating hazards represents an ethical imperative, as they also address how science can inform decisions for the people and places most exposed to hazard risk.