Risk Governance Deficits

This report identifies and describes a number of common and recurring deficits in risk governance processes and structures and explains how they can occur. Each deficit is illustrated by examples from the risk governance of past or current risk issues - for example, the outbreak of mad cow disease (BSE) in the UK, Hurricane Katrina, fisheries depletion, or genetically modified crops in Europe - in order to demonstrate the severity and variety of material and immaterial impacts they can have. The report aims to help risk decision-makers in government and industry understand both the causes of deficits in risk governance processes and their capacity to aggravate the adverse impacts of a risk. With this understanding, it is hoped that risk practitioners will be able to identify and take steps to remedy significant deficits in the risk governance structures and processes in which they play a part.