Saturday 2 February 2013

IS THE PRECAUTIONARY PRINCIPLE BEING OVER APPLIED?

This article from the Scientific Alliance explores this question through a document from the EU. On the one hand we do not want to take dangerous, unnecessary risks, but on the other hand we must not become so risk averse that we are afraid to take any risks at all. The precautionary principle is often cited as a reason to limit CO2 emissions, because even if we are not sure that they will cause dangerous global warming, there is a risk, however small. If that is the policy I argue that Los Angeles and San Francisco along with any other towns along the San Andreas Fault Line should be evacuated, but there is no plan to do it and most people seem prepared to take the risk.

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