Is the Precautionary Principle scientific?
Because of the great uncertainties about cause and effect, all decisions about human health and the environment are value-laden and political. The precautionary principle recognizes this and it exposes uncertainty and admits the limitation of science. This is a “sounder” kind of science. Precaution does not call for less science, but more — to better understand how human activities affect our health and environment. But the need for better understanding must not prevent immediate action to protect ourselves and future generations.
