Ecological Risk Assessment Guidelines

The ERA Process: Describe Risk   

Characterising risk is the final formal stage of an ERA. The risk assessor is responsible for this stage. It comprises the following actions.

Assess Risk and Evaluate Hypotheses

Determine the nature, magnitude, extent and likelihood of adverse effects on assessment end points. This is done by integrating the exposure and effects data from the Analyse-stage according to the Analysis Plan.
Evaluate lines of evidence. Use fundamentally different (i.e. independent) approaches to arrive at conclusions. It can include comparisons with literature or benchmark values (quotients), field studies and modelling.      ...more

Evaluate Risk

It is essential that a technical narrative accompany the estimated risk.

Describe the risk in the context of the management decision(s). Evaluate the nature and intensity of the effects, the spatial and temporal scales and the potential for recovery in the context of the decision to be made.      ...more

Report Risk

Present the results of the risk assessment clearly and concisely. The approach to and format of risk reporting should be appropriate to the target audience. Include detail needed for management decisions.

The target audience is primarily the risk manager, but the report should also facilitate communication to those affected by the decision.

The risk report should give a detailed account of each of the stages.      ...more

An iteration with the Analyse-stage may be required if the analysis is not sufficient to base a decision on.