The Precautionary Principle: An Affront to Science
July 29, 2014
Editor’s Note: The dangers from attempting to implement the precautionary principle go well beyond the unintentional threat it poses to bees. For starters, the term “precautionary principle” is analogous to the term “Holy Roman Empire” since it is neither truly precautionary, because it disregards science, nor is it an actual principle because it uses undefined terms such as “serious” and “acceptable” in vague and arbitrary ways. For an in-depth discussion of the precautionary principle, see the attached CRE paper, “Regulatory Options for Arctic Resource Management.”
From: Farmers Guardian
MPs urge Government to accept neonicotinoid ban
MPS have urged the Government to accept the current EU suspension of neonicotinoid seed treatments, arguing that the Government is wrong to use economic arguments to back is stance.
The Environmental Audit Committee (EAC) insists the 2013 decision to ban three neonicotinoid pesticides in flowering crops like oilseed rape (OSR) was ‘the right approach given the requirements of the precautionary principle’.
The Government has opposed the ban from the start and, according to the EAC, continues to interpret the precautionary principle as encompassing economic as well as environmental considerations.
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