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Environmental impact assessment, technology assessment and risk analysis
The Science of the Total Environment, 63 (1987) 271-277 Elsevier Science Publishers B.V., Amsterdam-- Printed in The Netherlands
271
Book Reviews
Environmental Impact Assessment, Technology Assessment and Risk Analysis, edited by V.T. Covello, J.L. Mumpower, P.J.M Stallen and V.R.R. Uppuluri, Springer-Verlag, Berlin, Heidelberg, 1985 (NATO ASI Series G: Ecological Sciences No. 4), 1068 pp. Price: DM 350.00. This sizeable volume is the outcome of a recent NATO Advanced Study Institute held at Les Arcs, France. As for the NATO ASI's ('~Advanced Study Institutes") in general, the scope was (i) a teaching activity provided by eminent lecturers and (ii) presentation of new scientific results. Correspondingly, two kinds of papers are intermingled in each of the five sections: a number of papers already published elsewhere and others which have not yet been printed in primary journals. The fact of containing already-published material is neither a shortcoming nor an oversight of the editors. The papers in question are mostly the backbone of the contribution of psychological and decision sciences to environmental technology, impact and risk asessment: e.g.A. Tversky's and D. Kahnemann's "The Framing of Decisions and the Psychology of Choice". The journals where these seminal papers were first printed are mostly highly specialized and may be lacking from many a library. Because of this, the volume represents a good encyclopaedia of the assessment process and of risk analysis - - at least its bulk justifies calling it an encyclopaedia. Would it be concluded by a real index, not by a mere l~-page collection of the title key-words, and a few '~original" papers which are merely tautological, left out, it would be a true compendium of today's state-of-the-art. The four papers in Section I provide an overview of the field of inquiry: the uses of social and behavioural research in risk management and decisionmaking. Section II focuses on theoretical and methodological contributions from psychology to the problem of choice, to expert and lay perceptions of risk and to the study of the communication of hazard information. Like the following sections, this one is also concluded by several "case studies", meant to illustrate theory. In some instances, these case studies could also appear within the body of the respective sections, as boundaries between theoretical and applied approaches are more often than not blurred. Section III on theoretical and methodological approaches, with contributions from the decision and systems sciences, discusses, among other issues, evaluating risks of fatalities, natural and technical hazards and also contains a complete presentation of the Delphi technique. As case studies, here we find an approach for assessing health risks associated with air quality standards, a paper dealing with asbestos and another with energy technologies. Section IV with only three papers provides cultural and philosophical perspectives on the three central topics covered by the volume. The last section
272 includes several overview papers written from the perspective of policy analysis, administrative science and the law. Anybody interested in the quantitative aspects of environment or energyrelated decision and judgmental processes, risk attitudes and perceptions, including public responses to technological hazards; in conflicts and disputes about hazardous activities; in factors influencing forecasts and judgments by experts, will benefit from the perusal of this volume, although only few will have the stamina - - or the need - - to read it from cover to cover.
Brdtigny-sur-Orge (France)
Michel Benarie
Handbook of Air Pollution Analysis, edited by R.M. Harrison and R. Perry, Chapman and Hall, London and New York, 2nd edn, 1986, 634 pp. Price: £42.50 A long time ago, I studied analytical chemistry from the 35th edition of Treadwell (or was it the 36th?), and so it was with most subject matters. True, before WWII science did not undergo a revolution every 10 or 20 years, although some undeniable progress went on even in those antediluvian days. Today books seem to become ephemeral. Is that true? Certainly not. Only the not-so-good books remain unsold on the publishers' shelves and become forgotten, outdated in a few years. If a book really fulfills a need, when it is well written, scientifically sound, when it contains not more and not less than the reader requires, then it has a chance to pass through several editions, like this one. Not immutable, however - - Treadwell's Analytical Chemistry also grew through re-editing. The first (1977) edition of this handbook was well received, as its frequency of citation in the literature and presence in libraries (which parallels with the fact of being out of stock for some time) has fulfilled its role as a manual providing comprehensive information about the theory and practice of air pollution analysis. If there is a fault with this second edition, it is one of understatement, at least in the title. The excellent, however concise, chapters on air-pollution meteorology and air pollution chemistry make almost a onevolume library out of this work. Indeed, I would recommend for those who cannot afford a large library on air pollution to include within the first dozen of their purchases just this title. It will even be hard to complete the dozen with tomes of equal value. Chapters on general sampling, sampling methods, particulate pollutants, metal analysis, nitrogen and sulphur compounds, secondary pollutants and planning and execution of an air pollution study have been updated from the first edition. The chapters on hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide, halogen compounds and remote sensing have been entirely rewritten and provide a fresh and thoroughly up-to-date view of these topics. As an acknowledgement of current interest, new chapters have been in-
271
Book Reviews
Environmental Impact Assessment, Technology Assessment and Risk Analysis, edited by V.T. Covello, J.L. Mumpower, P.J.M Stallen and V.R.R. Uppuluri, Springer-Verlag, Berlin, Heidelberg, 1985 (NATO ASI Series G: Ecological Sciences No. 4), 1068 pp. Price: DM 350.00. This sizeable volume is the outcome of a recent NATO Advanced Study Institute held at Les Arcs, France. As for the NATO ASI's ('~Advanced Study Institutes") in general, the scope was (i) a teaching activity provided by eminent lecturers and (ii) presentation of new scientific results. Correspondingly, two kinds of papers are intermingled in each of the five sections: a number of papers already published elsewhere and others which have not yet been printed in primary journals. The fact of containing already-published material is neither a shortcoming nor an oversight of the editors. The papers in question are mostly the backbone of the contribution of psychological and decision sciences to environmental technology, impact and risk asessment: e.g.A. Tversky's and D. Kahnemann's "The Framing of Decisions and the Psychology of Choice". The journals where these seminal papers were first printed are mostly highly specialized and may be lacking from many a library. Because of this, the volume represents a good encyclopaedia of the assessment process and of risk analysis - - at least its bulk justifies calling it an encyclopaedia. Would it be concluded by a real index, not by a mere l~-page collection of the title key-words, and a few '~original" papers which are merely tautological, left out, it would be a true compendium of today's state-of-the-art. The four papers in Section I provide an overview of the field of inquiry: the uses of social and behavioural research in risk management and decisionmaking. Section II focuses on theoretical and methodological contributions from psychology to the problem of choice, to expert and lay perceptions of risk and to the study of the communication of hazard information. Like the following sections, this one is also concluded by several "case studies", meant to illustrate theory. In some instances, these case studies could also appear within the body of the respective sections, as boundaries between theoretical and applied approaches are more often than not blurred. Section III on theoretical and methodological approaches, with contributions from the decision and systems sciences, discusses, among other issues, evaluating risks of fatalities, natural and technical hazards and also contains a complete presentation of the Delphi technique. As case studies, here we find an approach for assessing health risks associated with air quality standards, a paper dealing with asbestos and another with energy technologies. Section IV with only three papers provides cultural and philosophical perspectives on the three central topics covered by the volume. The last section
272 includes several overview papers written from the perspective of policy analysis, administrative science and the law. Anybody interested in the quantitative aspects of environment or energyrelated decision and judgmental processes, risk attitudes and perceptions, including public responses to technological hazards; in conflicts and disputes about hazardous activities; in factors influencing forecasts and judgments by experts, will benefit from the perusal of this volume, although only few will have the stamina - - or the need - - to read it from cover to cover.
Brdtigny-sur-Orge (France)
Michel Benarie
Handbook of Air Pollution Analysis, edited by R.M. Harrison and R. Perry, Chapman and Hall, London and New York, 2nd edn, 1986, 634 pp. Price: £42.50 A long time ago, I studied analytical chemistry from the 35th edition of Treadwell (or was it the 36th?), and so it was with most subject matters. True, before WWII science did not undergo a revolution every 10 or 20 years, although some undeniable progress went on even in those antediluvian days. Today books seem to become ephemeral. Is that true? Certainly not. Only the not-so-good books remain unsold on the publishers' shelves and become forgotten, outdated in a few years. If a book really fulfills a need, when it is well written, scientifically sound, when it contains not more and not less than the reader requires, then it has a chance to pass through several editions, like this one. Not immutable, however - - Treadwell's Analytical Chemistry also grew through re-editing. The first (1977) edition of this handbook was well received, as its frequency of citation in the literature and presence in libraries (which parallels with the fact of being out of stock for some time) has fulfilled its role as a manual providing comprehensive information about the theory and practice of air pollution analysis. If there is a fault with this second edition, it is one of understatement, at least in the title. The excellent, however concise, chapters on air-pollution meteorology and air pollution chemistry make almost a onevolume library out of this work. Indeed, I would recommend for those who cannot afford a large library on air pollution to include within the first dozen of their purchases just this title. It will even be hard to complete the dozen with tomes of equal value. Chapters on general sampling, sampling methods, particulate pollutants, metal analysis, nitrogen and sulphur compounds, secondary pollutants and planning and execution of an air pollution study have been updated from the first edition. The chapters on hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide, halogen compounds and remote sensing have been entirely rewritten and provide a fresh and thoroughly up-to-date view of these topics. As an acknowledgement of current interest, new chapters have been in-