Assessments of Regional and Global Environmental Risks: Designing Processes for the Effective Use of Science in Decisionmaking.Edited by Alexander E. Farrell Farrell, city (1990 pop. 6,841), Mercer co., W central Pa., on the Shenango River at the Ohio line and adjoining Sharon, Pa.; inc. 1901. It is a railroad center, and its steel- and ironworks industries have declined. and Jill Jager. 1616 P Street NW, Washington, D.C. 20036-1400: RFF RFF Resources For the Future RFF Réseau Ferré de France RFF Reseau Ferre de France (French: Network Bottle Pincers of France) RFF Request For Forces RFF Right Foot Forward (Tae Kwan Do) Press, June 2005. (202) 328-5086. www.rffpress.org. ISBN ISBN abbr. International Standard Book Number ISBN International Standard Book Number ISBN n abbr (= International Standard Book Number) → ISBN m 1-933115-04-1. 288 pp. $70.00 Cloth. ISBN 1-93311505-X. $34.95 Paperback. As environmental challenges grow larger in scale and the implications of environmental decisions more widespread, it is increasingly important to apply the best scientific knowledge in the decisionmaking process. Editors Farrell and Jager present environmental assessments as the bridge between the expert knowledge of scientists and engineers on the one hand, and decisionmakers on the other. When done well, assessments have a positive impact on public policy, the strategic decisions of private firms, and ultimately, the quality of life for many people. This book is the result of an international, interdisciplinary in·ter·dis·ci·pli·nar·y adj. Of, relating to, or involving two or more academic disciplines that are usually considered distinct. interdisciplinary Adjective research project to analyze past environmental assessments and understand how their design influenced their effectiveness in bringing scientific evidence and insight into the decisionmaking process. The case studies in the book feature a wide range of regional and global risks, including ozone depletion Ozone depletion describes two distinct, but related observations: a slow, steady decline of about 4 percent per decade in the total amount of ozone in Earth's stratosphere since around 1980; and a much larger, but seasonal, decrease in stratospheric ozone over Earth's polar regions , transboundary air pollution, and climate change. Assessments of Regional and Global Environmental Risks offers several important contributions. It provides a clear account of the choices faced in the design of environmental assessments and a clear description of the lessons learned from past assessments. It also illustrates why assessments are social processes, not simply reports. Finally, while the authors identify no universal, one-size-fits-all design, they find that, to be effective, environmental assessments must be viewed by those who produce and use them as being salient, credible in their scientific support, and legitimate in design and execution. Alexander E. Farrell is assistant professor in the Energy and Resources Group of the University of California, Berkeley The University of California, Berkeley is a public research university located in Berkeley, California, United States. Commonly referred to as UC Berkeley, Berkeley and Cal . Jill Jager is an independent scholar An independent scholar is anyone who works outside traditional academia in the pursuit of truth and knowledge. The status of independent scholar is often an amateur rather than a professional although this is not always a matter of choice. in Vienna, Austria. |
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