Document Detail


The challenge of degraded environments: how common biases impair effective policy.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  20738820     Owner:  NLM     Status:  In-Data-Review    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
Economic activity can damage natural systems and reduce the flow of ecosystem services. The harms can be substantial, as our case studies vividly illustrate. Most degraded landscapes have at least some potential to be reclaimed. However, uncertainty plagues decision making regarding degradation and reclamation, in relation to the extent of the damage, the success of reclamation, and how exposure will change in the future. We examine how a range of observed decision biases can lead to far-from-optimal policies regarding how much degradation to allow and when, as well as how and how much, to reclaim degraded sites. Despite our focus on degraded landscapes, we believe these are generic biases present in a wide range of risk situations. Our three case studies show these biases at work. The first two studies are of mining operations in the United States and Canada, and the third is of climate change.
Authors:
Alan Berger; Case Brown; Carolyn Kousky; Richard Zeckhauser
Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article     Date:  2010-08-25
Journal Detail:
Title:  Risk analysis : an official publication of the Society for Risk Analysis     Volume:  31     ISSN:  1539-6924     ISO Abbreviation:  Risk Anal.     Publication Date:  2011 Sep 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2011-09-30     Completed Date:  -     Revised Date:  -    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  8109978     Medline TA:  Risk Anal     Country:  United States    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  1423-33     Citation Subset:  IM    
Copyright Information:
© 2010 Society for Risk Analysis.
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