ISBN : 9782296049031
THE PRECAUTIONARY PRINCIPLE
David Gee
I would like to illustrate some of the issues involved in defining and applying the Precautionary Principle (PP) using three case studies; two of which come from the EEA report'Late Lessons from Early Warnings: The Precautionary Principle 1896-2000' (EEA, 2001), with the third coming from a recent controversy in the UK. The EEA report is a retrospective historical analysis of fourteen very well known hazards such as asbestos, BSE, S02 and TBT. These illustrate the difficulties of taking decisions to protect environment or health in conditions of scientific uncertainty, complexity and ignorance, where the stakes are high and the values are disputed. The PP has emerged in the last 25 years or so to help decision-makers in such circumstances. Whilst there are wider implications of the PP for science in society, I want to focus on its value as a "useful decision aid for good management of ecological and healthy risks", which is how the French Committee for Prevention and Precaution described it last year.