Development of a Rapid Risk and Impact Assessment Tool to Enhance Response to Environmental Emergencies in the Early Stages of a Disaster: A Tool Developed by the European Multiple Environmental Threats Emergency NETwork (EMETNET) Project

International Journal of Disaster Risk Science

Sjors Schulpen¹  Arnout De Bruin¹  Lisbeth Hall¹  Jolanda Roelofs¹  Emma-Jane Goode²  Owen Landeg²  Eirian Thomas²  Raquel Duarte-Davidson²  Annica Waleij³  Ann Göransson Nyberg³  Birgitta Liljedahl³  Louise Simonsson³  Elisabeth Wigenstam³ 

[1] Centre for Environmental Safety and Security, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), 3721 MA, Bilthoven, The Netherlands;Centre for Radiation, Chemicals and Environment, Public Health England (PHE), Harwell Campus, OX11 ORQ, Didcot, UK;Division of CBRN Defence and Security, Swedish Defense Research Agency (FOI), 901 82, Umeå, Sweden;

关键词: Civil protection;    Environmental emergencies;    Impact assessment;    Risk assessment;    Systematic expert judgment;   

DOI  :  10.1007/s13753-021-00352-8

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

Every year, numerous environmental disasters and emergencies occur across the globe with far-reaching impacts on human health and the environment. The ability to rapidly assess an environmental emergency to mitigate potential risks and impacts is paramount. However, collating the necessary evidence in the early stages of an emergency to conduct a robust risk assessment is a major challenge. This article presents a methodology developed to help assess the risks and impacts during the early stages of such incidents, primarily to support the European Union Civil Protection Mechanism but also the wider global community in the response to environmental emergencies. An online rapid risk and impact assessment tool has also been developed to promote enhanced collaboration between experts who are working remotely, considering the impact of a disaster on the environment and public health in the short, medium, and long terms. The methodology developed can support the appropriate selection of experts and assets to be deployed to affected regions to ensure that potential public health and environmental risks and impacts are mitigated whenever possible. This methodology will aid defensible decision making, communication, planning, and risk management, and presents a harmonized understanding of the associated impacts of an environmental emergency.

【 授权许可】

CC BY