Abstract
The ‘sustainable development’ and ‘risk analysis’ research literatures are typically distinct with little shared discourse. Even though sustainable development is usually conceptualised within a larger framework than risk analysis, in this paper it is argued that sustainable development has to incorporate a risk perspective in order to achieve its goals, since risky societies are unsustainable and unsolved threats impose more risks to present and future generations. Likewise, risk analysis scientists and decision makers need to take into account the philosophy and precepts of sustainable development in order to understand more holistically the causes and consequences of environmental threats and risk behaviours. Sustainable development and risk analysis frameworks are reciprocally related and relevant.