Environmental risk, public trust and perceived exclusion from risk management

Abstract

Debate about the need to increase public confidence in regulation and risk management has focused on the potential for the negative environmental impact of established and emerging technologies. The social context of public distrust is discussed, and related to how environmental risk is portrayed in terms of both technical risk assessment and social representation. It is concluded that greater public involvement in environmental risk decision making is important if further alienation of the public from scientific processes is to be avoided, although such involvement must be evaluated in terms of its methodological utility, acceptability to participants, and impact on policy.

Citation

Frewer, L.J. (2001), "Environmental risk, public trust and perceived exclusion from risk management", Böm, G., Nerb, J., McDaniels, T. and Spada, H. (Ed.) Environmental Risks: Perception, Evaluation and Management (Research in Social Problems and Public Policy, Vol. 9), Emerald Group Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 221-248. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0196-1152(01)80030-2