Risk science and politics: What is and should be the relationship?

Risk science is the most updated and justified knowledge-in the form of concepts, principles, approaches, methods, and models-for understanding, assessing, characterizing, communicating, and handling risk, with applications. It is also about the practice that gives us this knowledge. It is commonly stated that risk science is politically neutral. This perspective article discusses this assertion by scrutinizing the relationship between risk science and politics. In particular, it looks into the position of The Society for Risk Analysis (SRA) on this matter. Using some current risk problems as illustrating examples, including COVID-19 and climate change risk, the article argues that defending the political neutrality aim is paramount, especially with today's increasingly divisive political landscape.