by Anne-Laure (Dec 27, 2004)

When an action presents a risk for human health or the environment, the precautionary principle consists in avoiding or limiting this action.

For example, if people grow a genetically modified plant in the fields, there is a risk to see the pollen transported by bees killing the other natural plants. In this case, the precautionary principle wants them to stop growing this modified plant in the fields until we are totally sure that this plant won't modify or kill the other natural plants.

In the past, this principle appeared for the first time in an international law in the London declaration of 1987 and has been used many times since.

In politics, the precautionary principle is always used to justify a lot of decisions made for logical but unconfessed reasons. So be careful!!!

Considering all the risks for human life, the precautionary principle would like people to stop the commercialisation of new medicines or new planes with electrical commands. 

This shows the limit of the principle. In fact, for several years, medicines have made health progress, and planes have been the safest means of transport compared with the others.

Finally, in front of risks, qualitatively and quantitatively unknown and whose consequences are also unknown, there are always people who delight in taking the risk and others who refuse to take it whatever the price.

Their disagreement cannot be settled in a logical way because it is not possible to determine all the probabilities linked to the risks in several decisions of possible actions or the consequences of the decision not to do anything!

On the other hand, do we have to take risks and progress or be careful and be safe???

Which side are you on?

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Feb 28, 2005

Most people are afraid of having an accident. So they are very anxious. A human life is short, I agree to say that we shouldn't take too many risks. However we cannot live in a box which will protect us. We need action, risks, we have to travel in order to visit the world!

Alex (YGTP)