Risk Assessment for Sustainable Cities - Ietc Position Paper

This position paper outlines the benefits of using the Environmental Risk Assessment Technology (EnRA) as an organizing tool in the UNCHS (Habitat) Sustainable Cities Programme (SCP) strategic planning process. The paper details the conceptual foundation and current practices of EnRA approaches (regarding human health and ecological assessment). Specific attention is directed towards characterizing the iterative steps required to produce valid qualitative and quantitative predictions of risk. The text explains information requirements and uncertainty estimates, provides the means required to communicate risk information to technical and non-technical audiences and illustrates the link between the economic development, capacity building and replicability of strategic planning efforts embodied in the SCP and EnRA processes.
 
This position paper outlines the benefits of using the Environmental Risk Assessment Technology (EnRA) as an organizing tool in the UNCHS (Habitat) Sustainable Cities Programme (SCP) strategic planning process. The paper details the conceptual foundation and current practices of EnRA approaches (regarding human health and ecological assessment). Specific attention is directed towards characterizing the iterative steps required to produce valid qualitative and quantitative predictions of risk. The text explains information requirements and uncertainty estimates, provides the means required to communicate risk information to technical and non-technical audiences and illustrates the link between the economic development, capacity building and replicability of strategic planning efforts embodied in the SCP and EnRA processes.