Analysis in Support of Environmental Decision-Making

Abstract

Comparative risk assessment (CRA) is an important environmental decision-making tool, often used to identify broad risk categories and high priority risks. This chapter addresses some of the challenges that analysts and risk practitioners face in using CRA to promote scientifically sound decisions about environmental priorities. We argue that in order to meaningfully inform the decision-making process, analysts must give serious consideration to the decision context, and they must carefully tailor their messages, with a view towards clarity and balance.