ABSTRACT
Uncertainty with regard to environmental and human health has become more pervasive since global environmental politics emerged as a field of research in the 1980s. This chapter explores emerging technologies, including uncertainties around the risk and benefits they present. It looks at how regulators and policymakers manage these uncertainties and the problems they pose for existing and future governance arrangements. The chapter begins with a sketch of significant “cutting-edge” technology platforms, their potential application to some emerging global problems and the factors that challenge governments. It examines the current treatment of uncertainty in policy and regulatory design and risk management approaches, and gaps in existing governance arrangements, and conclude with possible solutions. Risk assessments are the primary tools used to assess the level of risk and potential harms posed by new technologies.
