Objective To investigate the influence of local cultural, socio-economic, historical, regulatory and other factors on the process of public perception of risks in order to help formulate and improve environmental policy instruments.OBJECTIVES: To investigate the influence of local cultural, socio-economic, historical, regulatory and other factors on the process of public perception of risks in order to help formulate and improve environmental policy instruments. DESCRIPTION: The focus is on the perception of risks posed by the chemical industry, in particular major accident hazard sites with significant environmental impact. The relationship between public perception and acceptance of risks, and how these attitudes can inform planning and other decision-making processes are investigated. A series of empirical studies are conducted in three European countries - the United Kingdom, Italy and Spain, using a variety of methods which combine qualitative and quantitative techniques. The project seeks to: i) examine the means to communicate risks to the public in a variety of cultural settings, affecting public attitudes and encouraging public participation in decision-making; ii) explore the effect of local knowledge in shaping and informing industrial risk management practices; iii) analyze the underlying processes influencing public demands, the exercise of choice, the formation of tastes, and the development of behaviour. This work has implications for the economic valuation techniques used in environmental policy. The project should yield new policy implications and the research findings will be applicable in the context of EU environmental policy. Fields of science social sciencessociologygovernancecrisis managementsocial scienceseconomics and businessbusiness and management Programme(s) FP4-ENV 2C - Specific programme of research and technological development in the field of environment and climate, 1994-1998 Topic(s) 04 - Human dimensions of environmental change Call for proposal Data not available Funding Scheme CSC - Cost-sharing contracts Coordinator UNIVERSITY OF SURREY EU contribution No data Address GU2 7XH GUILDFORD United Kingdom See on map Total cost No data Participants (2) Sort alphabetically Sort by EU Contribution Expand all Collapse all Centro de Investigaciones Energéticas, Medioambientales y Tecnológicas Spain EU contribution No data Address 22,Avenida Complutense 22 28040 Madrid See on map Total cost No data Istituto di Sociologia Internazionaledi Gorizia Italy EU contribution No data Address Via Mazzini 13 34170 Gorizia See on map Total cost No data
