Managing High-Stakes Risk: Toward a New Economics for Survival »

MARK JABLONOWSKI has over 30 years of experience as a professional risk manager, analyst and researcher. His focus now turns from the boardroom, and the narrow interests reflected in the corporate bottom line, to the understanding of how risk affects all of us, as citizens of the wider natural world. Toward this end he has founded, and directs, naturalrisk.org.

The threat we face from high-stakes risk has never been higher. These challenges include environmental pollution, fragile financial systems and the threat of widespread geopolitical violence. This book suggests that a return to natural risk levels -- those in accordance with naturally occurring background levels -- is both desirable and achievable.

Preface: Does Our Existence Matter? vi

1 The Philosophy of Survival 1

2 Making Decisions Under Conditions of Risk 23

3 The Notion of a Naturally Risk-Free Existence 37

4 Where Are We Now? 55

5 Planning for a Safer Future 70

6 Risk Planning on a Wider Scale 85

7 Is a Safer World "Worth It"? 101

8 Achieving a Viable Utopia 115

Appendix A The Intuitive Principles of Risk 135

Appendix B A Glossary of Key Concepts 137

About the Author 154

Index 155