Precautionary principle

This page is a encyclopedia article. The page identifier is Op_en1570
Moderator:Nobody (see all) Click here to sign up.
Give your opinion to the peer rating of the content of this page. {{ #opasnet_rater: }}
Upload data

<section begin=glossary />

The precautionary principle states that if an action or policy might cause severe or irreversible harm to the public, in the absence of a scientific consensus that harm would not ensue, the burden of proof falls on those who would advocate taking the action. The precautionary principle is most often applied in the context of the impact of human development or new technology on the environment and human health, as both involve complex systems where the consequences of actions may be unpredictable. There are several ways to apply this principle, such as

1. Precautionary principle based on expected value
2. Precautionary principle based on worst-case or another 'conservative' scenario.

<section end=glossary />