Differences in the degree of social or cultural acceptance of events or states of the world, political sensitivities, economic and distributive consequences have important impacts on the way that evaluations of risk are carried out and on risks management. Whilst there is a recognition that enhancing coordination on the scientific dimension of risk assessments should not necessarily lead to a common political response on how to manage risks, there is at the same time a strong concern that divergences on risk assessment methodologies and in the terminology used to express assessments of risk and uncertainty are hindering sound risk governance.
To address some of these issues, individuals within the EU Commission, and the governments of the US and Canada initiated a Transatlantic Risk Dialogue in early 2008, which was broadened later to create a "Global Risk Assessment Dialogue". The key objectives were to improve mutual understanding of risk assessments across jurisdictions and to promote consistency on specific methodological and substantive issues relating to risk assessment through international and collaborative working between members of the scientific community, both within government agencies and in research institutions.