Environmental Risk Analysis Program
The Environmental Risk Analysis Program (ERAP) began
in Summer 1998 as an integrated applied research and
outreach initiative of the Cornell University Center
for the Environment. Since 2003 ERAP has been a program of the Department of Communication in the Cornell University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.
Our goals are to:
- Meet societal needs to better understand, evaluate and communicate environmental risks.
- Improve methods of environmental risk analysis and communication.
- Facilitate the use of risk analysis by citizen leaders, educators and policy makers as they tackle complex local and regional environmental issues.
- Develop resources and training programs that
will help citizens and policy-makers:
- Interpret scientific information and policy decisions involving risk issues,
- Appropriately balance levels of concern with levels of risk and social impact
- Make informed decisions that will lead to reduced risk from environmental stressors.
In 1984 the American Chemical Society stated:
Society is constantly faced with the fundamental questions of "What are the risks associated with certain products and processes, how serious are they, and how well can they be estimated?" ... "How do these risks affect us as a society and as individuals?" "How do risks from exposure to chemicals compare with other risks we take everyday?"
These questions remain at least as relevant today as 15 years ago. The Cornell Environmental Risk Analysis Program (ERAP) is addressing such questions and beginning to fill a crucial niche as a center for science-based, needs-driven, applied research and outreach. We believe that effective environmental risk analysis and communication will contribute to more collaborative and informed problem solving.
What is Risk Analysis?
Decisions are made all the time which affect public health and prioritize the use, possible misuse and/or protection of resources and biota.
Risk Analysis is an approach and a set of tools for systematically comparing the social, economic, human health and other environmental costs and benefits of decision options. Risk Analysis includes problem definition, hazard and exposure assessment, risk characterization, risk communication and decisions affecting risk management.
Risk Analysis can add transparency and inclusiveness to the decision-making process. Risk Analysis is multi-disciplinary, drawing on a range of basic scientific skills to generate data, and a wide array of other skills to communicate, evaluate, interpret, and act on the assessment. Risk Analysis is integrative.
Risk Analysis provides an ideal framework for bridging among the research, teaching and outreach mandates at Cornell.
