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Integrating Comparative Risk Assessment and Multicriteria Decision Analysis

Working through Wicked Problems and Their Impossible Solutions

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Environmental Security in Harbors and Coastal Areas

Part of the book series: NATO Security through Science Series ((NASTC))

Abstract

“Wicked” problems emerge from the cross-disciplinary and multi-objective reality of current environmental challenges. Significant ecological risks and their uncertainty combine with conflicting stakeholder objectives and values to create a need for systematic risk and decision integration methods. Comparative Risk Assessment and Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis provide useful methods for integrating these diverse, decision-relevant factors. A typical wicked problem is realized in the combination of risk and decision factors within contaminated sediment challenges, such as those found in New York/New Jersey Harbor. In a larger context, we identify three essential decision ingredients, People, Process and Tools that should be carefully considered before prematurely embarking on a decision path.

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Kiker, G.A., Linkov, I., Bridges, T.S. (2007). Integrating Comparative Risk Assessment and Multicriteria Decision Analysis. In: Linkov, I., Kiker, G.A., Wenning, R.J. (eds) Environmental Security in Harbors and Coastal Areas. NATO Security through Science Series. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-5802-8_3

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