We are nearing the end of this series of blog posts on risk governance and risk-based regulation. It builds on a systematic review of over 150 academic publications published between 2009 and 2018. The aim of the series is to introduce those working in a regulatory environment to the key concepts of risk governance and … Continue reading Risk governance and risk-based regulation(6): Epistemic and ethical challenges

Now that we have a better understanding of the foundations of risk governance and risk-based regulation and have looked at some examples of its application, it is time to ask the hard question: does it work? Answering that question is all but easy. By and large the debate of risk governance and risk-based regulation is … Continue reading Risk governance and risk-based regulation(5): Evidence of the performance of risk governance and risk-based regulation

In the previous blog post, I have addressed the holistic framework of the International Risk Governance Council (IRGC) as a blueprint for regulators interested in this approach to regulation, or as a check-list for those who already have risk governance in place. Here I discuss frameworks that focus on high-occurrence but low-impact risks; and, frameworks … Continue reading Risk governance and risk-based regulation(4): Frameworks for high-occurrence/low-impact risks, the precautionary principle, and benefit-cost analyses

Inspired by the insights from risk studies, governments around the world have begun to develop and implement risk governance and risk-based regulation. Following these developments, scholars have begun to map, explore and interrogate risk governance models and strategies, risk-based regulatory approaches and instruments, and their performance. There appears no area where governments have not trialled … Continue reading Risk governance and risk-based regulation(3): The International Risk Governance Council Framework

It is safe to say that humankind has always been subject to risk. For long, however, humans have considered risk along the lines of fate and determinism. Our ancient ancestors thought of risk as something they could not influence. Their future was either set in stone, regulated by the forces of nature, or regulated by … Continue reading Risk governance and risk-based regulation(2): The evolution of risk

Previously, the use of insights from the behavioural sciences in regulatory practice had a central focus on this blog. This has resulted in a series of blog posts (episode 1, episode 2, episode 3, and episode 4) and a research paper discussing the core insights from the international academic literature on this topic published between … Continue reading Risk governance and risk-based regulation(1): A review of the international academic literature