Ebook: Comparative Risk Assessment and Environmental Decision Making

Decision making in environmental projects is typically a complex and confusing process characterized by trade-offs between socio-political, environmental, and economic impacts. Comparative Risk Assessment (CRA) is a methodology applied to facilitate decision making when various activities compete for limited resources. CRA has become an increasingly accepted research tool and has helped to characterize environmental profiles and priorities on the regional and national level. CRA may be considered as part of the more general but as yet quite academic field of multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA). Considerable research in the area of MCDA has made available methods for applying scientific decision theoretical approaches to multi-criteria problems, but its applications, especially in environmental areas, are still limited. The papers show that the use of comparative risk assessment can provide the scientific basis for environmentally sound and cost-efficient policies, strategies, and solutions to our environmental challenges.

---

Decision making in environmental projects is typically a complex and confusing process characterized by trade-offs between socio-political, environmental, and economic impacts. Comparative Risk Assessment (CRA) is a methodology applied to facilitate decision making when various activities compete for limited resources. CRA has become an increasingly accepted research tool and has helped to characterize environmental profiles and priorities on the regional and national level. CRA may be considered as part of the more general but as yet quite academic field of multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA). Considerable research in the area of MCDA has made available methods for applying scientific decision theoretical approaches to multi-criteria problems, but its applications, especially in environmental areas, are still limited. The papers show that the use of comparative risk assessment can provide the scientific basis for environmentally sound and cost-efficient policies, strategies, and solutions to our environmental challenges.

---

Decision making in environmental projects is typically a complex and confusing process characterized by trade-offs between socio-political, environmental, and economic impacts. Comparative Risk Assessment (CRA) is a methodology applied to facilitate decision making when various activities compete for limited resources. CRA has become an increasingly accepted research tool and has helped to characterize environmental profiles and priorities on the regional and national level. CRA may be considered as part of the more general but as yet quite academic field of multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA). Considerable research in the area of MCDA has made available methods for applying scientific decision theoretical approaches to multi-criteria problems, but its applications, especially in environmental areas, are still limited. The papers show that the use of comparative risk assessment can provide the scientific basis for environmentally sound and cost-efficient policies, strategies, and solutions to our environmental challenges.
Content:
Front Matter....Pages i-xi
Front Matter....Pages 1-1
Comparative Risk Assessment: Past Experience, Current Trends and Future Directions....Pages 3-14
Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis: A Framework for Structuring Remedial Decisions at Contaminated Sites....Pages 15-54
Front Matter....Pages 55-55
Using Comparative Exposure Analsis to Validate Low-Dose Human Health Risk Assessment: The Case of Perchlorate....Pages 57-74
Comparison of Risks from Use of Traditional and Recycled Road Construction Materials: Accounting for Variability in Contaminant Release Estimates....Pages 75-82
Environmental Risk Assessment of Pesticides in Nepal and Hindukush-Himalayan Region....Pages 83-98
A Comparative Risk Approach to Assessing Point-of-Use Water treatment Systems in Developing Countries....Pages 99-112
Risk-Based Evaluation of the Surface Cover Technology of a Red Sludge Waste Disposal Site in Hungary....Pages 113-123
Towards a More Coherent Regional Environment Agenda in the Middle East: Exploring the Role of Comparative Risk Assessment....Pages 125-131
Lessons from the New Jersey Comparative Risk Project....Pages 133-148
A Proposed Framework for Multinational Comparative Risk Analysis: Pesticide Use, Impacts and Management....Pages 149-168
Front Matter....Pages 169-169
The Value of Information for Conflict Resolution....Pages 171-194
Integrated Assessment Modeling....Pages 195-211
Classification Schemes for Priority Setting and Decision Making....Pages 213-243
Uncertainty as a Resource in Risk Comparisons....Pages 245-252
Incorporating Habitat Characterization Into Risk-Trace Software for Spatially Explicit Exposure Assessment....Pages 253-265
Use of GIS as a Supporting Tool for Environmental Risk Assessment and Emergency Response Plans....Pages 267-274
Integrated Risk Analysis for Sustainable Water Resources Management....Pages 275-286
Overcoming Uncertainties in Risk Analysis: Trade-Offs among Methods of Uncertainty Analysis....Pages 287-295
Comparative Risk Assessment and Environmental Impact Assessment: Similarity in Quantitative Methods....Pages 297-303
Combining Expert Judgement and Stakeholder Values with Promethee: A case Study in Contaminated Sediments....Pages 305-322
Front Matter....Pages 169-169
Analysis in Support of Environmental Decision-Making....Pages 323-331
Front Matter....Pages 333-333
Water Quality Challenges Facing Egypt....Pages 335-347
Risk Assessment of Occupational Exposure to Pesticides....Pages 349-362
The Role of Air Pollutants and Sewage Waste in Acceleration of Degradation of the Islamic Cultural Heritage of Cairo....Pages 363-370
Irrigation with Treated Wastewater in Israel-Assessment of Environmental Aspects....Pages 371-379
The Environment Sector in Jordan....Pages 381-384
Comparative Risk Assessment for Homogeneous and Nonhomogeneous Mammalian Populations Exposed to Low Level Radiation....Pages 385-392
Risk Assessment of the Influence of Anthropogenic Factors on Human Safety and Health....Pages 393-401
Environmental Risk Prevention and Environment Management in Lithuanian Military Lands....Pages 403-412
Environmental Risk Management Issues in Romania — Economic Information Policy in a Transition Period....Pages 413-422
A Brief History of Risk Assessment and Management After the Seveso Accident....Pages 423-429
Back Matter....Pages 431-436

---

Decision making in environmental projects is typically a complex and confusing process characterized by trade-offs between socio-political, environmental, and economic impacts. Comparative Risk Assessment (CRA) is a methodology applied to facilitate decision making when various activities compete for limited resources. CRA has become an increasingly accepted research tool and has helped to characterize environmental profiles and priorities on the regional and national level. CRA may be considered as part of the more general but as yet quite academic field of multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA). Considerable research in the area of MCDA has made available methods for applying scientific decision theoretical approaches to multi-criteria problems, but its applications, especially in environmental areas, are still limited. The papers show that the use of comparative risk assessment can provide the scientific basis for environmentally sound and cost-efficient policies, strategies, and solutions to our environmental challenges.
Content:
Front Matter....Pages i-xi
Front Matter....Pages 1-1
Comparative Risk Assessment: Past Experience, Current Trends and Future Directions....Pages 3-14
Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis: A Framework for Structuring Remedial Decisions at Contaminated Sites....Pages 15-54
Front Matter....Pages 55-55
Using Comparative Exposure Analsis to Validate Low-Dose Human Health Risk Assessment: The Case of Perchlorate....Pages 57-74
Comparison of Risks from Use of Traditional and Recycled Road Construction Materials: Accounting for Variability in Contaminant Release Estimates....Pages 75-82
Environmental Risk Assessment of Pesticides in Nepal and Hindukush-Himalayan Region....Pages 83-98
A Comparative Risk Approach to Assessing Point-of-Use Water treatment Systems in Developing Countries....Pages 99-112
Risk-Based Evaluation of the Surface Cover Technology of a Red Sludge Waste Disposal Site in Hungary....Pages 113-123
Towards a More Coherent Regional Environment Agenda in the Middle East: Exploring the Role of Comparative Risk Assessment....Pages 125-131
Lessons from the New Jersey Comparative Risk Project....Pages 133-148
A Proposed Framework for Multinational Comparative Risk Analysis: Pesticide Use, Impacts and Management....Pages 149-168
Front Matter....Pages 169-169
The Value of Information for Conflict Resolution....Pages 171-194
Integrated Assessment Modeling....Pages 195-211
Classification Schemes for Priority Setting and Decision Making....Pages 213-243
Uncertainty as a Resource in Risk Comparisons....Pages 245-252
Incorporating Habitat Characterization Into Risk-Trace Software for Spatially Explicit Exposure Assessment....Pages 253-265
Use of GIS as a Supporting Tool for Environmental Risk Assessment and Emergency Response Plans....Pages 267-274
Integrated Risk Analysis for Sustainable Water Resources Management....Pages 275-286
Overcoming Uncertainties in Risk Analysis: Trade-Offs among Methods of Uncertainty Analysis....Pages 287-295
Comparative Risk Assessment and Environmental Impact Assessment: Similarity in Quantitative Methods....Pages 297-303
Combining Expert Judgement and Stakeholder Values with Promethee: A case Study in Contaminated Sediments....Pages 305-322
Front Matter....Pages 169-169
Analysis in Support of Environmental Decision-Making....Pages 323-331
Front Matter....Pages 333-333
Water Quality Challenges Facing Egypt....Pages 335-347
Risk Assessment of Occupational Exposure to Pesticides....Pages 349-362
The Role of Air Pollutants and Sewage Waste in Acceleration of Degradation of the Islamic Cultural Heritage of Cairo....Pages 363-370
Irrigation with Treated Wastewater in Israel-Assessment of Environmental Aspects....Pages 371-379
The Environment Sector in Jordan....Pages 381-384
Comparative Risk Assessment for Homogeneous and Nonhomogeneous Mammalian Populations Exposed to Low Level Radiation....Pages 385-392
Risk Assessment of the Influence of Anthropogenic Factors on Human Safety and Health....Pages 393-401
Environmental Risk Prevention and Environment Management in Lithuanian Military Lands....Pages 403-412
Environmental Risk Management Issues in Romania — Economic Information Policy in a Transition Period....Pages 413-422
A Brief History of Risk Assessment and Management After the Seveso Accident....Pages 423-429
Back Matter....Pages 431-436
....