Panel discussion on trends in geotechnical and geohazard risk management across infrastructure

Geotechnical and geohazard risk management is being reshaped by remote data, large data influx, integrated platforms, and earth observation. To highlight practical implications across mining, transportation, pipelines, communities, and the energy sectors, we synthesised an ISGSR 2025 panel discussion on trends in geotechnical and geohazard risk management across infrastructure. We used panel prompts, case studies, platform experience, and analogies to get our message across. Seven themes surfaced during the panel discussion: (1) decisions, not sensors, anchor practice; (2) remote methods excel at screening but rarely replace targeted field checks; (3) democratised InSAR creates opportunity yet also narrative risk; (4) integrated monitoring centres and roles improve traceability; (5) platforms and data integration compress time to decision; (6) distinguishing “what/where” from “how/why”; and (7) consequence, climate, and culture shape risk reduction. These findings led to a four-gate workflow – Screen, Triaged Field Check, Diagnose and Model, and Decide and Communicate. The panel recommends uncertainty-aware thresholds for gate transitions, human-in-the-loop alerting, provenance by design, and communication for public-facing products. The framework generalises across infrastructure classes but requires local calibration of tools, thresholds, and consequence criteria.