Assessing Risk

• organisations that put forward development proposals will vary in the level of responsibility they demonstrate towards sustaining the environment impacted by the proposal
• level of responsibility take by orgs depends on the interconnection and tensions between factors:

  • diversity of stakeholder values
  • regulatory frameworks involved
  • use and interpretation of scientific data
  • application of new technologies
  • risk assessment undertaken
• anyone wanting to create a new development in Australia must work within regulatory framework criteria
• legal protections involved in protecting biodiversity

  • World Heritage Convention
  • IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
  • Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999
  • Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988
  • Local planning controls
• scientific data can skew report interpretations of original findings of investigations that produced the data
• when analysing a proposal, need to reflect if the development is utilising the best available sources in order to mainatain biodiversity
• risk is a situation that exposes somone or something to danger, harm or loss
• the risk of harm posed by a development is associated based on the precautionary principle and likely impacts on Earth's 4 global system
• precautionary principle decision make should be guided by:

  • a careful evaluation to avoid serrious or irreversible damage to the environment wherever practical
  • an assessment of risk-weigh consequences of various options
• the precautionary principle is being applied directly when:

  • risk of error is weighed in favour of the environment
  • burden of proof is placed on developers
  • the principle is mentioned explicitly or there is reference to ecologically sustainable development
• the precautonary principle is being applied indirectly when:

  • policies that could cause harm uundergo environmental impact assessments
  • insurance or environmental bond schemes should be used
• Environmental risk assessments provide a formalised proccess for assessing the impact of a chemical or an activity on the ecosystem
• steps in analysing hazards and risks:

  • problem characterisation and hazard identification
  • hazard accounting and ex[osure assessment
  • qualificaiton of event probabilities
  • qualification of consequences
• effeective projects incorporate stakeholder values before commencement
• managing risks allows organisations to:

  • better identify, assess and control risks to the environment
  • comply with environmental duties and obligations and meet community expectations
• organisations have a responsibility to:

  • understand and assess their risks
  • eliminate or reduce them as far as reasonably practicable
• not eliminating or reducing risk could mean organisations face all associated cost of impact
• envrionmental impact assessments objectives are to:

  • ensure that environmental considerations are addressed and incorporated
  • protect natural system and ecological process produciton and capacity
  • promote sustainable development and optimise resource use and management oppurtunities
• environmental effects statements may be required under law to allow for the approval of a proposed development
• in Victoria anvironment assessment may be required under the Environment Effects Act 1978
• ESS usually contains:

  • description of a proposed development
  • outline of public and stakeholder consultation undertaken during investigations and the issues raised
  • description of the existing environment that may be affected
  • predicitons of significant envrionmental effects of the proposal and relevant alternatives
• Environmental Risks Assessments are carried out anytime a risk is identified, is a scientific process that identifies and evaluates likelihood of a proposal's threat to the envrionment
• Envrionmental Impact Assessments is when developments show how they are addressing posible impacts in a systematic and orderly evaulation of a proposal and its impact on the envrionment to ensure sustainability values are supported
• Environmental Effects Statement is a publicly available document showing the impacts and mitigaitons of a proposal and it informs development consent decisons