Reinterpreting the precautionary principle

The precautionary principle is a culturally framed concept that takes its cue from changing social conceptions about the appropriate roles of science, economics, ethics, politics and law in anticipatory environmental protection and management. Originally it was introduced as part of a strategy for taking care in the face of uncertainty over the possible environmental consequences of human action. Since the 1980s, there has been a mismatch between levels of possible danger, and inadequacy of accuracy in forecasts, that has heightened consumer concern over the need to be more proactive and participatory in environmental affairs. Hence, the precautionary principle has become much more politicised in the context of environmental and consumer protest, in changing outlooks on science, and in the social responsibility of corporations. With the huge controversy in trade negotiations over what substances can be incorporated or removed from traded products, notably food, and in the light of the continuing debate over genetically modified crops, mobile phones and brain damage, as well as putative scares over microtoxins and latent carcinogens, the precautionary principle is back in the limelight.