The rise of risk and the decline of politics

This paper argues that the rise of risk and formal risk assessment has contributed to the demise of representative democratic politics by displacing public discourses about values with technical justifications for decision making. Furthermore, risk plays a central role in the displacement of governmental responsibility to private sector and NGO actors at the same time as facilitating government control over citizens—the Janus faces¹ of governance and governmentality. Arguing that the turn to public participation cannot be the panacea for the present situation, the paper concludes by calling for revitalisation of representative institutions, the development of real-time technology assessment and development of popular connoisseurship of science and technology.     

大型公共场所风险评价研究现状与展望

大型公共场所由于人群高度密集和财富高度集中的特点,其防灾减灾问题一直是城市防灾减灾的重点和难点,其风险性研究直接影响到城市防灾减灾安全工程建设及管理策略的制定实施.全面调研了国内外大型公共场所风险评价指标体系及评价方法的研究现状,分析了大型公共场所风险评价的重要地位,指出了大型公共场所风险评价方面存在的问题,并提出了有关大型公共场所风险评价方面的几点建议.     

大学城公共安全评价体系初探

随着大学城建设的蓬勃开展,大学城公共安全已成为一项关乎国计民生又亟待深入研究的重要课题。阐述了公共安全评价的研究现状,同时,参照当前国际上成熟的公共安全评价框架,基于脆弱性(风险)与(减灾)能力两个维度,初步建立了大学城公共安全评价指标的内容体系。并以广州大学城为例,对公共安全评价流程和结果进行了初步的分析论证。结合具体的评价结果,针对大学城脆弱性风险防范和减灾能力建设提出了一些有效的建议,以供大学城公共安全规划建设和发展决策参考。     

对城市雷电灾害的认识与防护

当前,我国城市化进程的步伐越来越快,科学技术迅速发展,信息交换日益增加,家庭生活与办公不断融合.所有这一切都和电子技术的发展紧密相连.随着计算机、网络技术的广泛应用,雷电的危害逐渐增多,涉及的范围也不断扩大,甚至影响到日常生活.本文对雷电的灾害做了初步分析,以期引起人们的关注和预防.     

科技信任、管理信任及其对公众水灾风险认知的影响——基于长江中下游的社会调查

信任和风险在一定程度上互为因果,两者通过认知行为决策及行为后果这一环节构建互馈关系。探索公众对社会减灾能力的信任及其对灾害风险认知的影响机制,有助于揭示灾害风险的潜在因素,调适风险认知与避灾行为,从而降低灾害风险。选取水灾发生频繁、强度大、防洪措施多样的长江中下游地区为研究区,运用随机抽样调查和入户访谈相结合的方式获取资料,研究公众的水灾科技信任和管理信任的水平、影响机制、动机-效应差异。主要结论有:①公众科技信任水平普遍高于管理信任。信任水平受到公众性别、年龄、灾害经历、城乡差异等因素不同程度的影响,信任具有区域共构的特点;②科技信任改变了公众水灾风险认知,加强了其灾害应对信心,降低了其对受灾风险的估测,对其避灾行为倾向影响显著,而管理信任对公众水灾风险认知及防灾备灾行为倾向的影响均不大;③信任的产生动机以认可减灾措施有用性为前提,科技减灾和管理减灾由于具有不同的减灾原理及作用时段,导致了公众的不同信任动机及其效应。     

A risk framework for preventing salinity

Salinity is an insidious soil conservation issue. Its expression can be greatly removed in time and space from its causes, so a focus on prevention is preferred. To avoid over or under-investment, a communication strategy for salinity needs to be a staged approach, the risks defined and the assets at risk identified.This paper describes a risk assessment schema and associated information base designed to support community investment in preventative actions. It describes a new approach to salinity risk similar to the concepts of diagnosis and staging used by physicians for diseases such as cancer. It outlines the diagnostic tools now being developed to define the timeframes of salinity development, the biophysical features of the landscape within which salinity develops and the riskiness of current and alternative management systems and matches this with a complementary community process designed to build knowledge and intervention. A GIS/database system captures the concepts of salinity risk and a large array of diagnostic information in a form designed for the development of salinity knowledge in the community and to guide investment in salinity prevention. The communication strategy and the salinity risk system are being applied in the Fitzroy Basin, Australia, an area of approximately 150,000 km² straddling the Tropic of Capricorn.     

黑龙江省雷暴灾害损失风险评估与区划

利用黑龙江省2001-2005年78个气象站的雷暴资料,采用加权综合评价法和AHP决策分析法首次对黑龙江省雷暴灾害损失风险进行了评估,并与GIS技术耦合进行了雷暴灾害损失风险区划。结果表明:雷暴灾害高损失风险区分布在哈尔滨、绥化及双鸭山的市区,危险性和暴露性因子为主导因子;中等损失风险区集中在哈尔滨以及绥化所辖的大部分县市,还有牡丹江、鸡西、大兴安岭地区的部分县市,以及齐齐哈尔市、黑河市和讷河县等地;轻、低损失风险区分布在齐齐哈尔、黑河的大部分县市及东部平原地区。     

A risk framework for preventing salinity

Salinity is an insidious soil conservation issue. Its expression can be greatly removed in time and space from its causes, so a focus on prevention is preferred. To avoid over or under-investment, a communication strategy for salinity needs to be a staged approach, the risks defined and the assets at risk identified.

This paper describes a risk assessment schema and associated information base designed to support community investment in preventative actions. It describes a new approach to salinity risk similar to the concepts of diagnosis and staging used by physicians for diseases such as cancer. It outlines the diagnostic tools now being developed to define the timeframes of salinity development, the biophysical features of the landscape within which salinity develops and the riskiness of current and alternative management systems and matches this with a complementary community process designed to build knowledge and intervention. A GIS/database system captures the concepts of salinity risk and a large array of diagnostic information in a form designed for the development of salinity knowledge in the community and to guide investment in salinity prevention. The communication strategy and the salinity risk system are being applied in the Fitzroy Basin, Australia, an area of approximately 150,000 km² straddling the Tropic of Capricorn.     

基于GIS的地质灾害风险预警系统设计

利用GIS软件的二次开发技术,应用基于风险评价的预警方法建立地质灾害预警模型,设计地质灾害风险预警系统,在Visual Studio 2012.NET的开发环境下,以C#作为开发语言,并结合ArcGIS Engine研发.最后以通化县作为研究区域,验证此系统的可行性,结果表明该系统实现了地质灾害风险预警预报,具有较高的...     

风险评估在气候变化对农业影响评价中的应用——研究进展

基于风险理论,探讨了气候变化风险的内涵,介绍了可用于气候变化影响评价的风险评估概念框架,并着重总结了风险评估在气候变化对农业影响评价中的应用。随着目前概率型气候情景的广泛应用及利益相关者与公众对影响评估中的不确定性认识的需求,风险评估将在气候变化影响评价中得到更为广泛的应用,气候变化对农业的影响也有望基于风险形式实现终端至终端的评估。同时,当前气候变化农业影响的风险评估研究仍有许多不足之处,真正实现综合全面的评估尚有诸多问题需要解决。     

玛纳斯河流域生态问题的潜在风险性评估

玛纳斯河流域是中国干旱区最具代表性的山地-绿洲-荒漠生态系统,三大生态系统表现出的区域生态、经济要素的空间状况有所分异,所存在的生态安全问题的表现形式也各不相同。根据流域土地利用和水资源数据库,在生态经济功能分区的基础上,针对流域不同分区存在的生态安全问题,选取相应的17个生态风险评估指标,建立了生态-经济风险性评价模型,对流域各个生态经济功能亚区的生态问题潜在的风险性进行了生态风险评估。结果表明:Ⅰ1,Ⅱ1,Ⅱ2,Ⅱ3,Ⅲ1,Ⅲ2和Ⅲ3亚区的生态问题潜在的风险性在增大,说明生态问题日益突出,而Ⅰ1和Ⅱ4亚区生态问题潜在的风险性指数存在波动;Ⅰ,Ⅱ和Ⅲ三个大区中生态问题潜在的风险性指数最高的分别是Ⅰ1,Ⅱ1和Ⅲ1亚区。评价结果能够较为客观地反映了当地的实际情况,因而对流域可能出现的灾害性的环境问题及由此引起的巨大的经济损失提出了警示。     

An assessment of Disaster Risk and its Management in Thailand

Historically, Thailand has been a disaster-free country, suffering only minor losses from natural hazards through the years. Emerging as a newly industrialised nation, the kingdom now faces an increased risk of economic and public damage from man-made disasters associated with rapid development. A risk assessment was carried out on the level of disaster management. That assessment was preceded by an analysis of the traditional definitions of disaster risk, resulting in a redefinition to fit the needs of this study. This holds that the risk of disaster is the product of hazards, vulnerability and the level of management exercised over both the hazard and the vulnerable elements.
The results of the risk assessment, conducted through analysis of those three components, are discussed along with impediments which may hinder good disaster or accident management. Floods, in both natural and man-made manifestations, were identified as the highest risk factor, followed by major accidents and explosions, both man-made hazards. Major recommendations arising from the study included the consolidation of disaster management responsibilities currently held by several agencies into a central co-ordinating committee, the review and restructure of related law and regulations, the conduct of provincial and country-wide hazard assessments and the creation of a 'culture of safety' in Thailand     

吉林省城市干旱缺水风险评价体系与模型研究

以吉林省地级城市为研究对象,从造成城市干旱缺水的致灾因子危险性,承灾体的暴露性、脆弱性和防旱抗旱能力四个方面着手,利用自然灾害指数法、加权综合评价法和层次分析法,建立了城市干旱缺水风险评价模型,引用城市干旱缺水风险指数(UDRI),对城市干旱缺水风险程度进行了评价,并借助GIS技术绘制了吉林省城市干旱缺水风险分布图,以期为实现吉林省水资源可持续利用、保障区域经济可持续发展和老工业基地改造战略实施提供科学依据.     

Communicating uncertainty via probabilities: The case of weather forecasts

Capturing uncertainty through numerical probabilistic statements is orthodoxy in risk science—and most of science and technology. There are a wide range of views on the utility of such statements for risk communication, and they are often seen as being central to the failure to generate common understanding about risks between science and non-scientists. The extent to which probability statements are understood is unclear. If such statements are misunderstood by many, what alternatives might communicate uncertainty better?These questions are examined in the context of daily weather forecasts. The probabilities used in such statements concern daily events experienced by everyone, unlike the extremely small probabilities about unfamiliar events often used in risk communication. If people do not understand weather forecasts, there is little hope that statements about unfamiliar events using unfamiliar language will be understood. Some jurisdictions use numerical probabilistic statements on the likelihood of precipitation, and a variety of qualitative or categorical forecasts are also used. Drawing on a range of sources including public surveys conducted by the Australian Bureau of Meteorology, the paper examines public understanding of probabilities and public and specialist understanding of verbal categorical forecast terms.The majority of those surveyed have basic understanding about probabilities as used in weather forecasts, but significant groups do not. However, there was limited agreement among forecasters on what the probabilistic statements meant. Similarly, there was limited shared meaning between forecasters and the public on the verbal forecast expression examined.     

Communicating uncertainty via probabilities: The case of weather forecasts

Capturing uncertainty through numerical probabilistic statements is orthodoxy in risk science—and most of science and technology. There are a wide range of views on the utility of such statements for risk communication, and they are often seen as being central to the failure to generate common understanding about risks between science and non-scientists. The extent to which probability statements are understood is unclear. If such statements are misunderstood by many, what alternatives might communicate uncertainty better?

These questions are examined in the context of daily weather forecasts. The probabilities used in such statements concern daily events experienced by everyone, unlike the extremely small probabilities about unfamiliar events often used in risk communication. If people do not understand weather forecasts, there is little hope that statements about unfamiliar events using unfamiliar language will be understood. Some jurisdictions use numerical probabilistic statements on the likelihood of precipitation, and a variety of qualitative or categorical forecasts are also used. Drawing on a range of sources including public surveys conducted by the Australian Bureau of Meteorology, the paper examines public understanding of probabilities and public and specialist understanding of verbal categorical forecast terms.

The majority of those surveyed have basic understanding about probabilities as used in weather forecasts, but significant groups do not. However, there was limited agreement among forecasters on what the probabilistic statements meant. Similarly, there was limited shared meaning between forecasters and the public on the verbal forecast expression examined.     

五论灾害系统研究的理论与实践

作者曾分别于1991、1996、2002和2005年发表了关于灾害研究理论与实践的4篇文章,对灾害系统的性质、动力学机制、综合减灾范式,以及灾害科学体系等进行了探讨.在前4篇文章的基础上,就当前国际上灾害风险综合研究的趋势、应对巨灾行动,以及防范巨灾风险和加强综合减灾学科建设等方面进行了综合分析,阐述了对"区域灾害系统"作为"社会-生态系统"、"人地关系地域系统"和"可划分类型与多级区划体系"本质的认识;区分了"多灾种叠加"与"灾害链"损失评估的差异;论证了"综合灾害风险防范的结构、功能,及结构与功能优化模式";构建了由灾害科学、应急技术和风险管理共同组成的"灾害风险科学"学科体系.研究结果表明,通过综合减灾,防范巨灾风险已成为区域和全球可持续发展的重要措施,这一措施与资源节约型与环境友好型社会的建设,循环经济模式的发展,以及低碳经济模式的建立,共同构成了可持续发展战略实施的支撑体系.     

Progress in natural hazard risk reduction: What hath development wrought?

The development-disaster risk management agenda has been shaped over the last 25 years by development policies and practices that have isolated lesser developed countries' development agenda from dealing with risk to natural hazards, by intentional actions to create a theory and practice of disaster risk management alongside other cross-cutting issues, by attempting to nurture emergency management in the context of disaster risk management and by fostering competition for resources. Sovereign states, multilateral development banks and the international development community should collaborate in shifting paradigms to: consider all development actions as initiatives to reduce risk; separate emergency management policy and practice from disaster risk management; fold disaster risk management and climate change adaptation into development planning and lending processes so as to address risk to natural hazards; promote hazard, vulnerability and risk information as a public good; and insist on accountability and responsibility to natural hazard risk all along the development continuum.     

Risk communication in the internet age: The rise of disorganized skepticism

Communicating risks has become a core ingredient in the regulatory functions of government, interest group advocacy, public health, and corporate relations. The channels of risk communication have grown in complexity along with the development and expansion of the Internet and the birth of personalized blogging. This paper discusses three stages in the development of risk communication as an area of study and research. It examines the way risk is framed in three channels of communication, newsprint, the Expanded Academic Index, and Google using the example of the controversial chemical perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). The paper concludes that the Internet, as illustrated by the Google search engine, has created more opportunities for citizen learning and expanded the breadth and channels of risk communication, while also providing new opportunities for stakeholders to influence the message. Democritization of information does not necessarily create greater concordance between the cultural and technical assessment of risk.     

Risk communication in the internet age: The rise of disorganized skepticism

Communicating risks has become a core ingredient in the regulatory functions of government, interest group advocacy, public health, and corporate relations. The channels of risk communication have grown in complexity along with the development and expansion of the Internet and the birth of personalized blogging. This paper discusses three stages in the development of risk communication as an area of study and research. It examines the way risk is framed in three channels of communication, newsprint, the Expanded Academic Index, and Google using the example of the controversial chemical perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). The paper concludes that the Internet, as illustrated by the Google search engine, has created more opportunities for citizen learning and expanded the breadth and channels of risk communication, while also providing new opportunities for stakeholders to influence the message. Democritization of information does not necessarily create greater concordance between the cultural and technical assessment of risk.     

Human rights and proactive displacement: determining the appropriate balance between the duty to protect and the right to remain

The proactive displacement by public authorities of populations from areas perceived to be exposed to a high risk of disaster presents complex human rights challenges. Provided that no ulterior motive is at play, the use of compulsory evacuations and relocations as policy responses to such risk is mandated by the duty to protect the right to life. However, proactive displacement in the interest of saving lives can be problematic as such measures can lead to the limitation of other human rights, resulting in an intricate assessment of whether compulsory evacuation or permanent relocation is proportional in any given circumstance. Such an analysis demands critical attention by public authorities to the perception of the disaster risk in question and problematises claims to objectivity of official risk assessments. Furthermore, it poses the question as to whether measures designed to address the disaster risk in question that are less intrusive than relocation may be available to public authorities.