A comparative analysis of environmental risk assessment risk management frameworks

Risk assessment/risk management frameworks have been developed to address environmental impacts. Seven representative frameworks were analyzed for common themes, differences in approach, and conceptual innovations. Frameworks continue to undergo dramatic changes in form and emphasis. All maintain an important role for science. Trends toward greater stakeholder involvement, decreased emphasis on quantitative characterization of risk and uncertainty, and development of iterative decision-based analysis cycles in frameworks suggest a move toward embedding risk assessment within risk management and placing greater emphasis on the latter. Successive frameworks offer analytical innovations which, in sum, point to greater social participation in the conduct, interpretation, and use of risk assessment/risk management analyses. This is because technical analysis and command-and-control regulation have either failed to deal satisfactorily with environmental problems or, in suggesting solutions, have created conflict with other valued social objectives. No consensus on a comprehensive framework has emerged.