Four questions for risk communication: a response to Roger Kasperson

Abstract

Based on an inclusive view of communication, the article claims that the ultimate goal of risk communication is to assist stakeholders and the public at large in understanding the rationale of a risk-based (risk-informed) decision, and to arrive at a balanced judgment that reflects the factual evidence about the matter at hand in relation to their own interests and values. Given this purpose of risk communication, the article by Roger Kasperson addresses four important issues: persistence for being effective, managing uncertainty, enhancing trust, and creating new principles for a democratic, fair, and knowledgeable communication process. All four aspects are of critical importance for the discussion on risk communication.

Keywords:

• inclusive risk governance
• effective risk communication
• trust
• two-way-communication