Dr Paul O'Hare

My profile

Biography

I am a Senior Lecturer in Geography & Development at Manchester Metropolitan University. My research interests include the governance of risk, stakeholder engagement in decision-making, and climate change resilience and adaptation. I have published in the field of participation in planning, climate change adaptation and on critical interpretations of resilience and climate adaptation. Though theoretically informed, my work is of significant policy and practice interest.

In 2015 I developed a Code of Practice for flood resilient technology in collaboration with the Building Research Establishment (Six steps for flood resilience). This influenced the recently published Code of Practice and guidance for property flood resilience (CIRIA). I have additionally advised Defra on the development of a cohort of surveyors to support property owners in adopting resilience technologies, and the BSI on adapting building standards to take account of flood risk. Most recently I was an UKRI Climate Science embedded researcher advising Manchester Climate Change Agency (MCCA) and Manchester City Council on the development of more robust policies for adaptation and resilience.  I continue this work through my role as Chair of the MCCA’s Adaptation and Resilience Advisory Group, as well as several other local authority climate advisory groups.

Interests and expertise

- Climate risk and adaptation.

- Critical interpretations of resilience. 

- Public and civil society engagement in decision-making and governance. 

- Working at the interface of academia and policy & practice. 

Impact

I have considerable experience of qualitative research, stakeholder engagement activities, and knowledge exchange. Previous research has entailed projects sponsored by UKRI, EPRSC/ RCUK and EUFP7, government sponsored research projects (Defra) and other entities (BSI Group). This work has entailed significant interaction with policy formulators, practitioners, communities and small & medium sized enterprises. I have developed training programmes for practitioners with the Emergency Planning Society, the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) the Centre for the Protection of National Infrastructure (CPNI) and community advocacy organizations including the Citizens Advice Bureau and the National Flood Forum. I have also worked with entities such as the UK Met Office to develop climate city packs and heat vulnerability social indexing. I am currently a member of the Expert Review Group for the United Nations Race to Resilience initiative.

Teaching

Undergraduate teaching

I teach across numerous undergraduate modules, including: 

- Introducing Human Geographies

- Tutorial & Field Activities (Geography & Human Geography)

- Research Design

- Research Analysis

- Fieldwork and Research Design (Geography fieldtrip - Malta)

- People, Place & Planning

- Geography & Human Geography undergraduate dissertation

Research outputs

  • Climate adaptation and resilience
  • Community and stakeholder involvement in governance and decision-making