Stakeholders' scoping of risk assessments: lessons from low-carbon transitions

The paper finds that incorporating stakeholders from business, government, and NGOs into risk assessments for decarbonization significantly expands the scope of identified risks compared to assessments conducted solely by academics and experts. While experts tend to prioritize economic risks using quantitative models, other stakeholders emphasize political risks. The authors argue that qualitative research and stakeholder engagement are essential complements to impact assessment modelling to ensure non-quantifiable risks are not overlooked, thereby improving risk mitigation and the sustainability of the energy transition.

• Stakeholders from business, government, and NGOs contributed approximately 40% of the input on risks in the studied cases, which broadened the range of risks identified beyond those typically considered by experts and academics.
• There is a divergence in risk focus and methodology between different groups: academics and experts prioritize economic risks and utilize quantitative models, whereas other stakeholders place more emphasis on political risks.
• To prevent the omission of risks that are difficult to quantify or model, the authors recommend that impact assessment modelling be supplemented with stakeholder engagement and qualitative research.

APA

Stockholm Environment Institute (2020). Stakeholders' scoping of risk assessments: lessons from low-carbon transitions. https://www.sei.org/publications/stakeholders-scoping-risk-assessments-lessons-low-carbon-transitions/

Chicago

Stockholm Environment Institute. Stakeholders' scoping of risk assessments: lessons from low-carbon transitions. 2020. https://www.sei.org/publications/stakeholders-scoping-risk-assessments-lessons-low-carbon-transitions/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Stockholm Environment Institute |title=Stakeholders' scoping of risk assessments: lessons from low-carbon transitions |date=28 May 2020 |url=https://www.sei.org/publications/stakeholders-scoping-risk-assessments-lessons-low-carbon-transitions/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{stockholmenvironmentinstitute2020stakeholders, author = {{Stockholm Environment Institute}}, title = {{Stakeholders' scoping of risk assessments: lessons from low-carbon transitions}}, institution = {Stockholm Environment Institute}, year = {2020}, month = may, url = {https://www.sei.org/publications/stakeholders-scoping-risk-assessments-lessons-low-carbon-transitions/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }