Science policy for risk governance.

Risk governance is a major challenge in the twenty-first century. Governments and regulatory authorities are required to deliver the best possible risk governance to society. However, in a globalized world, their performance is increasingly assessed at the international level by using the best scientific knowledge available. Companies face a renewed demand for social and public responsibility and must respond to stronger and more knowledgeable regulatory authorities and to demanding risk communication processes. Their risk governance also faces a problem of trust: society tends to trust science, but does not always trust companies or politicians.