Standardization of risk

The research project focus on “standardization of risk”. The aim of the project is explore the effects and value of standardization of risk in a land-use planning context, specifically related to the risk governance process for transport infrastructures.

The background to the project is that risk assessments (often QRAs) are used as a basis for making decisions in land-use planning. Decision-making may concern deciding how close to hazardous goods transportation routes one can locate buildings or to decide whether cities can be densified through decking of roads or railways. Different countries have chosen different approaches to regulating the use of risk assessments in land-use planning. Some regulatory regimes are highly prescriptive in terms of explicit requirements on methodology, assumptions, modelling tools, input data, risk criteria, etc. This can be seen to represent a high level of standardization. Others require risk analyses to support decision-making without regulating the details, representing a low level of standardization. The research project will look into different ways of standardizing risk and their respective benefits and challenges.