The approach promoted under the Framework Convention of Climate Change to help achieve stabilization of greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous interference with the climate system.
Taking action now to avoid possible environmental damage when the scientific evidence is inconclusive but he potential damage could be great.
A set of agreed cost-effective measures and actions, including courses of action, that ensures prudent foresight and reduces or avoids risk to resources, the environment, and to people, to the extent possible, taking explicitly into account existing uncertainties and the consequences of being wrong. (from Garcia 1996)
The precautionary approach was developed as part of the Rio Declaration of 1992, in which Principle 15 stated 'in order to protect the environment, the precautionary approach shall be widely applied by states according to their capabilities. Where there are threats of serious or irreversible damage lack of full scientific certainty shall not be used as a reason for postponing cost-effective measures to prevent environmental degradation'.
The essence of the approach is expressed in Principle 15 of the Rio Declaration that states that "Where there are threats of serious or irreversible damage, lack of scientific certainty shall not be used as a reason for postponing cost-effective measures to prevent environmental degradation." The approach is concerned with avoiding risk that has not been assessed, i.e., uncertainty.
A fishery management principle that implements conservation measures even in the absence of scientific certainty that fish stocks are being overexploited. A common element in the application of this approach is the definition of limits intended to safeguard the long-term productivity of a stock.
Set of agreed cost-effective measures and actions, including future courses of action, which ensures prudent foresight, reduces or avoids risk to the resource, the environment, and the people, to the extent possible, taking explicitly into account existing uncertainties and the potential consequences of being wrong.