Abstract
Over the past decades several shifts can be identified in the field of environmental
health risk reduction policies in the Netherlands. In response to the shortcomings of
traditional sector-based (environmental) policy, the government has proposed a new
approach to deal with health risks that encourages an integrated as well as
differentiated approach. This implies
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an increased desire to enhance cross-sectoral
and stakeholder negotiations and achieve greater transparency, take levels of
attainability and area -based factors into consideration, and assess the cumulative
impact of risks. There is also a strong drive to incorporate cost-benefit assessment and
public perception as part of the ‘concern’ assessment in decision-making practices
alongside quantitative risk estimates of physical effects. Although some progress has
been made in moving towards this new ‘rational’ mentality, it appears that there are
still several obstacles in governmental decision -making that need to be overcome
(e.g. relating to risk appraisal and the assessment of stakeholder opinions).
In the light of recent trends observed in the Dutch context – and the associated
problems experienced – it was chosen to conduct an international evaluation of
various national approaches to environmental health risk reduction policies, in order
to assess whether similar trends (and possible solutions) can be seen elsewhere. The
12 countries included (the United States, Australia and ten nations in different parts of
Europe) were evaluated on the basis of a set of indicators that can be used to measure
integration and differentiation.
In general, this study demonstrates that countries are indeed showing similar shifts in
integrated and differentiated risk assessment and risk governance to those witnessed
in the Netherlands, although several of these changes are still in the initial phases and
could therefore be developed further. A lack of scientific and other data, difficulties in
weighing diverging sectoral ambitions, the quantification of health risks, budgetary
constraints and insufficient communication (between risk assessors and risk
managers; amongst different sectors, and with stakeholders) were mentioned as the
primary barriers for implementation of more targeted and differentiated health risk
reduction strategies. Most countries also expressed a desire for a more coherent and
standardised approach to tackling environmental health risk. This paper therefore
outlines the main trends in environmental health risk reduction at the international
level, brings forward several elements that could form part of a new approach to risk,
and gives some advice for future research.
The study should be seen as a quick-scan and should therefore not be considered
comprehensive as such.
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