9.4 Environmental Risk Assessment
201
Despite Kant’s ethics being deeply anthropocentric, can you come up with
a scenario where Kant’s ethical theory could be beneficial in environmental
protection?
Think of an environmentally virtuous role model that you look up to. What
are particular values embodied by this person?
9.4 Environmental Risk Assessment
Environmental risk assessment (ERA) is an estimate of the probability of human
activities leading to adverse environmental effects. It is an environmental aspect that
is significant due to its socioeconomic and ecological significance to an ecosystem,
potential repercussions of its loss, and the socioeconomic relevance. In this concept,
the term “value” is not restricted to only the economic sense. Some examples
are domestic water supplies and the old-growth dependent species. The following
sections will be dedicated to the definition of terms under environmental risk
assessment before further information is provided on ERA.
9.4.1 Definition of Terms in Environmental Risk Assessment
9.4.1.1 Indicator
This is a parameter that can be measured, observed, and offers information on
environmental trends or patterns. Quantitative and qualitative information are some
of the indicators and can include the number of endangered species, distribution
changes of single species, and percentage of protected areas.
9.4.1.2 Natural Conditions
These are defined as the environmental conditions that are in the range of historical variability before European settlement. Often, natural conditions need to be
described of specified conditions that have been in existent for an extended period
(Kosma et al. 2014).
201
Despite Kant’s ethics being deeply anthropocentric, can you come up with
a scenario where Kant’s ethical theory could be beneficial in environmental
protection?
Think of an environmentally virtuous role model that you look up to. What
are particular values embodied by this person?
9.4 Environmental Risk Assessment
Environmental risk assessment (ERA) is an estimate of the probability of human
activities leading to adverse environmental effects. It is an environmental aspect that
is significant due to its socioeconomic and ecological significance to an ecosystem,
potential repercussions of its loss, and the socioeconomic relevance. In this concept,
the term “value” is not restricted to only the economic sense. Some examples
are domestic water supplies and the old-growth dependent species. The following
sections will be dedicated to the definition of terms under environmental risk
assessment before further information is provided on ERA.
9.4.1 Definition of Terms in Environmental Risk Assessment
9.4.1.1 Indicator
This is a parameter that can be measured, observed, and offers information on
environmental trends or patterns. Quantitative and qualitative information are some
of the indicators and can include the number of endangered species, distribution
changes of single species, and percentage of protected areas.
9.4.1.2 Natural Conditions
These are defined as the environmental conditions that are in the range of historical variability before European settlement. Often, natural conditions need to be
described of specified conditions that have been in existent for an extended period
(Kosma et al. 2014).