Environmental Management: Principles and practice

The precautionary principle
All those involved in environmental management have world-views, which affect
how they proceed (see later in this chapter and in chapter 8). Environmental managers,
whatever their world-view, are likely to face: (i) data problems; (ii) modelling
difficulties; (iii) analytical difficulties; (iv) insufficient time for adequate research.
For example, there may be little baseline data, and what there is may be inaccurate
FIGURE 7.2 Natural system and social system relationship
Note: The social system is likely to affect the management of the natural system—usually
the relationship of the two systems is visualized as in (a), with the shaded section representing
the main field of activity for environmental management. However, few environments are
‘natural’: most are to some extent altered by human activity, so the social system and natural
system are not largely independent—the pattern shown in (b) is more likely.
Source: Bormann et al. 1993:3, Fig. 1.1

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or have gaps or may be in an unsuitable form; models may not have been developed
or may have deficiencies; analysing random processes presents problems, or the
process may be complex and difficult to understand. Increasingly, scientists are asked
to provide advice before they have proof (Funtowicz and Ravetz, 1993). Faced with
uncertainty, environmental management often follows the precautionary principle
(see chapter 1), making recommendations that are adaptive, leaving leeway for change
as research finds new information, building in ways of responding to the unforeseen.
The precautionary principle generally means that the burden of proof is shifted to
the developer, who must use science to show a proposal is safe before proceeding.
O’Riordan (1995:9) argued that
‘…prevention is simply a regulatory measure aimed at an established threat.
Precaution is a wholly different matter. It introduces the duty of care on all
actions, it seeks to reduce uncertainty simply by requiring prudence, wise
management, public information and participation, and the best technology.’