The mechanisms attaching to Planning and Policy Formulation in a democratic society require, at a minimum, transparency, validity, and the ability for them to be assessed in quantatative terms for best value outcomes for the majority of participants in the process.
Transparency, validity and accountability are difficult to achieve when outcome options are relatively well defined and straight forward.
When policy settings are required to be determined under conditions of uncertainty, the inherent difficulties become significantly more complex.
The primary objective of this paper is to identify the role of well documented risk communication protocols for this task.
Whilst a relatively recent concept, risk communication is now an established science and the body of literature which has been generated is large, valuable and its application has been well tested.
The paper will illustrate, by examples, how risk communication protocols may be developed and/or adapted to assist with Climate Change Policy Formulation.
The paper will demonstrate the relevance of risk communication models to both lay and expert community members, an essential task unavoidably associated with Planning and Policy Formulation under Conditions of Uncertainty.