Precautionary principle

The PRECAUTIONARY PRINCIPLE , a principle in environmental international law, states that, when human activities may lead to threats of serious and irreversible damage to the environment that is scientifically plausible but uncertain, actions shall be taken to avoid or diminish that threat.

When there is a lack of full scientific certainty in establishing a causal link between human activity and environmental effect, the court shall apply the precautionary principle in resolving the case before it. The constitutional right of the people to a balanced and healthful ecology shall be given the benefit of the doubt. Therefore, the human activity, in case of such uncertainty, shall be presumed to be harmful to the environment. 

The PRECAUTIONARY PRINCIPLE applies when:
  1. Threats to human life or health;
  2. Inequity to present or future generations;
  3. Prejudice to the environment without legal consideration of the environmental rights of those affected.
The precautionary principle is a strategy for approaching issues of potential harm when extensive scientific knowledge on the matter is lacking. It emphasizes caution, pausing and review before leaping into new innovations that may prove disastrous. (en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Precautionary_principle)

The Precautionary Principle is a strategy to cope with possible risks where scientific understanding is yet incomplete, such as the risks of nano technology, genetically modified organisms and systemic insecticides. (www.precautionaryprinciple.eu | The Precautionary Principle)

Precautionary principle, approach in policy making that legitimizes the adoption of preventative measures to address potential risks to the public or environment associated with certain activities or policies. (www.britannica.com › topic › precautionary-principle)