Risk Comparisons, in which sets of risks-including risks to ecological health systems, human health, productivity carrying capacity and/or quality of life-are ranked or rated, and a set of risks selected for detailed ecosystem consideration in the middle stages;
Goal Setting, in which the participating stakeholders concur on goals and objectives relating to the risks of concern and measures that will be used to evaluate progress towards those goals; and
Preliminary Options Analysis, in which an initial range of risk-to-the-resource reduction options is identified and considered in terms of the estimated total reduction of risk in the long-term and likely benefit-cost of each experimental decision while taking into accord a precautionary approach.