Precautionary principle

precautionary principle

1. S. Shiraz

2. Definition
•The precept   that an action should not be taken if   the  
consequences  are  uncertain  and  potentially  dangerous

3. Regulation Variety!

4. Guilty until proven innocent
•Industry would have to demonstrate that a 
development would cause no biodiversity loss 
before proceeding
http://conservationbytes.com/2013/07/18/guilty-until-proven-innocent

5. http://www.american.com/archive/2011/may/the-problems-with-precaution-a-principle-without-principle
‘Better safe than
sorry’
Means that no
activity which ‘raises
threats of harm to
human health or the
environment’ should
proceed until proven
‘safe.’

6. Innocent until proven guilty
• industry may proceed if no one can find 
species that will be directly affected 

7. Misunderstood and Misrepresented
•Misunderstood, because precaution is so often 
wrongly claimed to be unscientific or anti-
technology. 
•Misrepresented, because a large part of the 
resulting stigma can be a systematic – even 
deliberate – effect of power!!

9. Examples of Precautionary Principle
Targets
•Environment
Global warming/cooling
Loss of species
Population explosion
•Energy
Nuclear power plants
•Food safety
Genetically modified crops
Mad cow disease
Mercury in fish
Chlorinated water
•Chemicals
DDT and other pesticides
BPA
•Health
Vaccinations
New drugs
•Technology
Cell phones and towers

10. Examples of Precautionary Principle Users
•EPA
CO2 pollutant classification
Mining and power plant permits
•Community development
planners
Smart growth/sustainable
development/livable
communities/Agenda 21
•Transportation departments
Rail and other public
transportation
Alternative cars
•Dept of Energy
Nuclear plants
•FDA
New drug approval times
Drugs withdrawn from market
•Consumer Product Safety
Commission
Crib recalls

11. Risk Analysis , Yes or No?!

14. References
•http://www.american.com/archive/2011/may/the-problems-with-
precaution-a-principle-without-principle
•http://www.environmentalcommons.org/staging/precaution-
debating.pdf
•http://conservationbytes.com/2013/07/18/guilty-until-proven-innocent