Aquarium of the Pacific | Online Learning Center | Glossary | Precautionary principle

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Precautionary principle
Where there are threats of serious or irreversible damage to the environment, lack of full scientific certainty should not be used as a reason for postponing cost-effective measures to prevent environmental degradation. Permits use of a lower level proof of harm in policy-making whenever the consequences of waiting for higher levels of proof may be very costly and/or irreversible.
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