The precautionary principle is a guideline in environmental decision-making that requires taking preventive action in the face of scientific uncertainty to prevent environmental harm. It is a principle of international environmental law that is contained in many international instruments, including the 1992 Rio Declaration. The principle has four central components: taking preventive action in the face of uncertainty, shifting the burden of proof to the proponents of an activity, exploring a wide range of alternatives to possibly harmful actions, and increasing public participation in decision-making.
The precautionary principle is used when an activity raises threats of harm to the environment or human health, and precautionary measures should be taken even if there is no conclusive scientific proof linking the activity to environmental damage. The principle requires that, if there is a strong suspicion that a certain activity may have environmentally harmful consequences, it is better to control that activity now rather than to wait for incontrovertible scientific evidence. The principle is expressed in the Rio Declaration, which stipulates that, where there are “threats of serious or irreversible damage, lack of full scientific certainty shall not be used as a reason for postponing cost-effective measures to prevent environmental degradation” .
In summary, the precautionary principle is a guideline in environmental decision-making that requires taking preventive action in the face of scientific uncertainty to prevent environmental harm. It is a principle of international environmental law that is contained in many international instruments, including the 1992 Rio Declaration. The principle requires that, if there is a strong suspicion that a certain activity may have environmentally harmful consequences, it is better to control that activity now rather than to wait for incontrovertible scientific evidence.
