The Precautionary Principle and the Gulf Oil Spill

Many of the great consultants in green business practices have developed ways of introducing their clients to topics like LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design – the internationally recognized green building certification system) and biomimicry (taking lessons from the ways of nature and evolution in the development of our products and processes). Somewhat less frequently discussed is the so-called “precautionary principle,” i.e., the idea that if proposed action is suspected of containing a risk to public health and safety, the burden of proof that it is not harmful lies on those proposing to take that action.

Am I missing something, or are we as a civilization a million miles from this point currently – and getting further from it every day? The idea that our system of international business affairs, ethics, and justice could get us to a meaningful implementation of this idea requires a jolting suspension of disbelief.

Does anyone really think that there is no potential public harm in the chemically raised food we eat, the vigorous marketing of alcohol and prescription drugs, and the steady relaxation of moral standards in the television programming and movies we show our children? I could go on – and so could you; the list of threats that we openly welcome is large — and growing each year.

Of course, when we get down to brass tacks in the area of clean energy, the issue is even more obvious. Is anyone asking for the oil and coal companies to address the burden of proof that the energy policies they work so hard to protect do not bring with them tremendous threats to public safety? The Gulf oil spill is an opportunity to ask questions like these. Could it, perhaps, representing a turning point for our friend — the precautionary principle?