ABSTRACT
This chapter examines some issues of importance for the practical use of risk analysis. It discusses certain challenges related to standards and guidelines. The chapter provides information on the ISO 31000 standard on risk management and examines the guidance on uncertainty analysis produced by the European Food Safety Authority. It presents a security risk analysis to demonstrate practical problems that analysts and decision-makers face when conducting risk analysis. The chapter also provides some reflections on climate change and risk analysis. It explains some comments on training in risk analysis. The standard defines risk as “the effect of uncertainties on objectives”. Certainly, likelihood is the most common tool for representing and expressing uncertainty, but the risk characterization should not be restricted to this measure alone. Risk has two main elements: the values at stake, consequences with respect to something that humans' value, and uncertainties.
