Le Principe de précaution

This briefing explores the precautionary principle as a guide for decision-makers to protect the environment, public health, and security in the face of scientific uncertainty. It traces the principle's evolution from national laws in Sweden to its integration into major international treaties and the law of the European Union, while discussing the ongoing tension between environmental safeguarding and economic development.

• The precautionary principle serves as a guide rather than a strict rule, directing decision-makers to take protective measures for the environment, security, and public health even when scientific certainty is lacking.
• The definition provided in Principle 15 of the 1992 Rio Declaration is widely recognized and suggests that the absence of full scientific certainty should not be used to postpone cost-effective measures to prevent environmental degradation when there are threats of serious or irreversible damage.
• A central and controversial element of the precautionary principle is the reversal of the burden of proof; instead of the claimant proving harm, the entity proposing an activity must prove that it is not harmful.
• The principle originated in Sweden with the 1969 environmental protection law, which allowed authorities to take preventive measures or ban activities based on the simple risk of environmental danger.
• The principle is integrated into the law of the European Union via the 1992 Maastricht Treaty, which mandates that community environmental policy be based on the precautionary principle and preventive measures.
• The principle is applied in various international agreements, including the 1987 Montreal Protocol to protect the ozone layer and Article 3 of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), which urges parties to take precautionary measures to minimize the causes of climate change.
• Practical applications of the principle include moratoria on genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in countries like Germany and Peru due to scientific uncertainty regarding health and ecosystem effects.
• Critics argue that the principle can be used to over-regulate or hinder human activity and economic progress, while proponents view it as essential to avoid irreversible damage to public health and the environment.

APA

Pinto-Bazurco, J. F. (2020). Le Principe de précaution. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2021-04/still-one-earth-precautionary-principle-FR.pdf

Chicago

Pinto-Bazurco, Jose Felix. Le Principe de précaution. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2020. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2021-04/still-one-earth-precautionary-principle-FR.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Pinto-Bazurco |first1=Jose Felix |title=Le Principe de précaution |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=October 2020 |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2021-04/still-one-earth-precautionary-principle-FR.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{pintobazurco2020principe, author = {Pinto-Bazurco, Jose Felix}, title = {{Le Principe de précaution}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2020}, month = oct, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2021-04/still-one-earth-precautionary-principle-FR.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }