Princip předběžné opatrnosti
Princip předběžné opatrnosti či zásada předběžné opatrnosti (anglicky: precautionary principle nebo precautionary approach) je pravidlo, které tvrdí, že určité činnosti by neměly být provozovány, jestliže jimi způsobené následky jsou nejisté a potenciálně nebezpečné.[1].
The precautionary principle or precautionary approach states that if an action or policy has a suspected risk of causing harm to the public or to the environment, in the absence of scientific consensus that the action or policy is harmful, the burden of proof that it is not harmful falls on those taking an action.
The principle is used by policy makers to justify discretionary decisions in situations where there is the possibility of harm from taking a particular course or making a certain decision when extensive scientific knowledge on the matter is lacking. The principle implies that there is a social responsibility to protect the public from exposure to harm, when scientific investigation has found a plausible risk. These protections can be relaxed only if further scientific findings emerge that provide sound evidence that no harm will result.
In some legal systems, as in the law of the European Union, the application of the precautionary principle has been made a statutory requirement in some areas of law.
Regarding international conduct, the first endorsement of the principle was in 1982 when the World Charter for Nature was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly, while its first international implementation was in 1987 through the Montreal Protocol. Soon after, the principle integrated with many other legally binding international treaties such as the Rio Declaration and Kyoto Protocol.
konstatuje, že jestliže existuje důvodné podezření The precautionary principle is relevant in those circumstances where risk managers have identified that there are reasonable grounds for concern that an unacceptable level of risk to health exists but the supporting information and data may not be sufficiently complete to enable a comprehensive risk assessment to be made. When faced with these specific circumstances, decision makers or risk mangers, may take measures or other actions to protect health based on the precautionary principle while seeking more complete scientific and other data. Such measures have to comply with the normal principles of non-discrimination and proportionality and should be considered as provisional until such time that more comprehensive information concerning the risk can be gathered and analysed.
The precautionary principle or precautionary approach states that if an action or policy has a suspected risk of causing harm to the public or to the environment, in the absence of scientific consensus that the action or policy is harmful, the burden of proof that it is not harmful falls on those taking an action.
Zásada předběžné opatrnosti umožňuje rychle reagovat na potenciální nebezpečí pro zdraví lidí, zvířat a rostlin nebo za účelem ochrany životního prostředí. V případě, že vědecké údaje neumožňují úplné vyhodnocení rizik, totiž využití této zásady umožňuje například zabránit distribuci zboží, které by mohlo představovat zdravotní riziko, nebo dokonce takové zboží stáhnout z trhu.
Odkazy
Informace o tomto tématu lze nalézt také v článku Precautionary principle na anglické Wikipedii.
Reference
Literatura
- EVROPSKÁ AGENTURA PRO ŽIVOTNÍ PROSTŘEDÍ a HARREMOES, Poul, ed. et al. Pozdní poučení z včasných varování: princip předběžné opatrnosti 1896-2000. Vyd. 1. [Praha]: Ministerstvo životního prostředí, 2002. 232 s. Environmental issue report; No 22. ISBN 92-9167-323-4.
- JUNG, Matthieu. Princip předběžné opatrnosti. Vyd. 1. Zlín: Kniha Zlín, 2011. 264 s. Neewit; sv. 29. ISBN 978-80-87497-20-3.
- WIENER, Jonathan Baert, ed. et al. The reality of precaution: comparing risk regulation in the United States and Europe. Washigton, DC: RFF Press, 2011. xviii, 582 s., [2] s. obr. příl. ISBN 978-1-933115-85-6.