Development of a Web based Decision Support System for trans-boundary environmental risk assessment and management.

A review of the legal requirements for environmental risk assessment indicates that despite the range of international and EU legislation and guidance proposing the need for risk assessment and management a common framework and procedure has yet to be established. This in turn has limited the implementation of environmental risk assessment and management mainly to fields where liability issues can arise such as in cases of contamination hazards etc. In order to enable the formalized and more systematic utilization of risk assessment and management procedures in environmental decision making processes the “Remotely Accessed Decision Support System for Transnational Environmental Risk Management” (STRiM) project has developed a web based Decision Support System (DSS) for transboundary environmental risk assessment and management. This DSS is implemented as a web based application which enables environmental administrators and decision makers to undertake generic risk assessment and management identifying areas where detailed risk assessment is required as well as appropriate risk management options. The web based DSS serves as an integration platform for the other components of the system: map server, Risk Assessment indicator database and document database. The main functionality of the web based DSS includes qualitative risk assessment for the identified environmental hazards, MCA facilitated options appraisal for the selection of applicable risk management options and automated report generation. The map server is used to handle GIS maps that illustrate various steps of the risk assessment procedure. The web based DSS is implemented using a three-tier architecture, Java EE 5 platform, Java Server Faces and Java Enterprise Beans technologies, and Open Source products for the application server, database and integrated development environment. Within the context of the STRiM project the web application has been trailed successfully in four pilot trials addressing a range of risks, such as forest damage from storms, water pollution from olive mill waste, wetland loss from water abstraction, and damage from flooding.