Final Program - Society for Risk Analysis

workshop, held in May 2011, additional case studies illustrating advanced riskassessment methodologies were presented and the Expert Panel discussedoverarching considerations for problem formulation, use of mode of action,and addressing background and endogenous exposures. Recognizing thatthere is wide variety of risk assessment applications, depending upon problemformulation, the Expert Panel adopted a framework to organize examples ofmethodology applicable to different risk assessment needs, including qualitative,screening, and in-depth assessments. The case studies were linked tothese different risk assessment objectives to provide examples of the rangeof available methods; this is envisioned to be expanded to provide a compendiumof methods to illustrate specific dose-response techniques for differentrisk assessment settings. This symposium will present the results and recommendationsof this ARA project with specific focus on the Expert Panel’sdiscussions for improving problem formulation and use of mode of action,the framework and compendium of dose-response methods, and specific casestudies centered on conveying the application of the framework for informingmethod selection.T3-I Symposium: Catastrophic Climate ChangeClimate change is among the most significant catastrophic risks that globalsociety faces. This session features a range of perspectives on catastrophic climatechange and responses to it. Scholarship a diverse range of fields includingeconomics, engineering, geography, and psychology bring insight to howsevere the threat of climate change is and how the threat can be addressedthrough measures including incentives, institutions, and geoenengineering.T4-B Panel Discussion: Symposium: Public Preferences and RegulatoryDecision-Making - Smart Imputs for Smart Decisions?As climate change becoming one of the most important issues facing humandevelopment, countries are trying to find suitable solutions to this nonreversibleprocedure. All over the world, low-carbon development options arewidely discussed and have started being adopted both at national and local level.As the basic unit of public service providing economic development as wellas ecological sustainability, various actors in society including governments,industry and civil society, take on responsibility for balancing environmentalprotection and economic development. In this process, the essential questionlies in how to make smart decisions on the basis of expertise, public valuesand citizen preferences. The key research question in the research presentedhere is to explore how these essential groups form their own opinion on low-46carbon technologies selection for power supply, communicate these opinionsto others and how this selection may influence regulatory decision making.The symposium will be divided into two parts. First, three short presentationswill provide data and results from the US and Germany within a total of 45minutes. Second, a set of panelists (including Ortwin Renn, Ragnar Löfstedt)will discuss within a total of 45 minutes the issue of public preferences as apolicy factor. We would like to thank the Stiftung Mercator for financial supportfor doing this research.T4-C Symposium: Improving Problem Formulation and Dose-ResponseBeyond Science and Decision, Part 2Under the Alliance for Risk Assessment (ARA), a series of public workshopsled by an Expert Panel of toxicologists and risk assessors were heldin 2010 and 2011 to continue the discussion on elements of risk assessmentset forth by the 2009 NRC report “Science and Decisions: Advancement ofRisk Assessment.” This ARA activity was supported by 45 entities, includinggovernment agencies, industry groups, scientific societies, non-profit organizations/consortia,and consulting groups. The first ARA workshop explored avariety of perspectives on issues raised by the NAS 2009 report and discussedpossible case studies to address these. Representative case studies were thendeveloped and evaluated during the second ARA workshop. In the third ARAworkshop, held in May 2011, additional case studies illustrating advanced riskassessment methodologies were presented and the Expert Panel discussedoverarching considerations for problem formulation, use of mode of action,and addressing background and endogenous exposures. Recognizing thatthere is wide variety of risk assessment applications, depending upon problemformulation, the Expert Panel adopted a framework to organize examples ofmethodology applicable to different risk assessment needs, including qualitative,screening, and in-depth assessments. The case studies were linked tothese different risk assessment objectives to provide examples of the rangeof available methods; this is envisioned to be expanded to provide a compendiumof methods to illustrate specific dose-response techniques for differentrisk assessment settings. This symposium will present the results and recommendationsof this ARA project with specific focus on the Expert Panel’sdiscussions for improving problem formulation and use of mode of action,the framework and compendium of dose-response methods, and specific casestudies centered on conveying the application of the framework for informingmethod selection.