Environmental risk: urgent need for harmonisation

There is an urgent need for harmonisation of environmental risk assessment  A specialised field of applied science that involves reviewing scientific data and studies in order to evaluate risks associated with certain hazards. It involves four steps: hazard identification, hazard characterisation, exposure assessment and risk characterisation. in different scientific fields.

That was the overall conclusion from a symposium on risk assessment and risk management The management of risks which have been identified by risk assessment. It includes the planning, implementation and evaluation of any resulting actions taken to protect consumers, animals and the environment. cooperation on environmental protection goals, organised by the Norwegian Scientific Committee for Food and Environment (VKM) and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).

Presentation of guidance on protection goals
EFSA’s guidance on specific protection goals for environmental risk assessment was presented at the symposium. The aim of the guidance is to provide a harmonised methodological framework using the ecosystem services Benefits to human or animal populations provided by an ecosystem, such as food or fuel provision, natural medicinal ingredients, and maintenance of soil fertility. concept to derive practical, specific environmental protection goals, regardless of the regulated product or organism A living thing such as humans, animals, plants and microbes (e.g. bacteria, viruses) that is being assessed.

Key messages

• The ecosystem A community of living organisms in conjunction with non-living components (e.g. air, water and mineral soil). A healthy ecosystem is a finely balanced system where animals, plants and microbes live in harmony with their environment. services concept was considered a suitable tool for deriving specific environmental protection goals, but risk managers and risk assessors need a deeper knowledge of ecosystem services.
• Risk managers and risk assessors need to communicate in a better way – the focus should be on collaboration, discussion, dialogue and joint projects.
• Protection goals need to be defined more precisely by the risk managers.

Summary report

A summary report is available that includes all the presentations, discussions and recommendations from the symposium, which was held in Oslo in October 2017.