ABSTRACT
Risk has become a familiar concept in the 21st century. The term is widely used and means different things to different people. We all live with risks – some we have control over; some we don’t; some we understand in detail; others cause us alarm. This chapter is about environmental risk assessment and management. The management of risk, from or to the environment, has developed into a systematic process for making better and more accountable environmental decisions. We assess risks so we can manage them better – by focusing on the problems that are of greatest concern; and, because we all have different concerns, it is important that risk-informed decisions are influenced by a range of stakeholders, including those that bear the risk, and that decisions and the basis for them are communicated throughout the process.
