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Looking for a Guide to Protect the Environment: The Development of the Precautionary Principle

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  • Giovanni Immordino

Abstract

. If the precautionary principle is to become the guide of the international community for environmental protection policies, an economic interpretation of the principle is in order. The analysis of case studies and a survey of the recent decision theoretic literature show the lack of a fully satisfactory economic model. More generally various theoretical and empirical results show that the principle cannot be assumed to apply a priori. Though it has been proposed by international treaties as a rule of thumb for situations of scientific uncertainty, the precautionary principle could actually be inefficient.

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  • Giovanni Immordino, 2003. "Looking for a Guide to Protect the Environment: The Development of the Precautionary Principle," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 17(5), pages 629-644, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:jecsur:v:17:y:2003:i:5:p:629-644
    DOI: 10.1046/j.1467-6419.2003.00207.x
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    Cited by:

    1. Craig A. Bond & John B. Loomis, 2009. "Using Numerical Dynamic Programming to Compare Passive and Active Learning in the Adaptive Management of Nutrients in Shallow Lakes," Canadian Journal of Agricultural Economics/Revue canadienne d'agroeconomie, Canadian Agricultural Economics Society/Societe canadienne d'agroeconomie, vol. 57(4), pages 555-573, December.
    2. Pauline Barrieu & Bernard Sinclair-Desgagné, 2003. "The Paradox of Precaution," CIRANO Working Papers 2003s-63, CIRANO.
    3. Olivier Boiral & Mario Cayer & Charles Baron, 2009. "The Action Logics of Environmental Leadership: A Developmental Perspective," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 85(4), pages 479-499, April.
    4. Meglena Jeleva & Stéphane Rossignol, 2019. "Optimists, Pessimists, and the Precautionary Principle," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 74(1), pages 367-396, September.
    5. Shyama V. Ramani & Mhamed-Ali El-Aroui, 2020. "On application of the precautionary principle to ban GMVs: an evolutionary model of new seed technology integration," Journal of Evolutionary Economics, Springer, vol. 30(4), pages 1243-1266, September.
    6. Martimort, David & Guillouet, Louise, 2020. "Precaution, Information and Time-Inconsistency: On The Value of the Precautionary Principle," CEPR Discussion Papers 15266, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    7. Winkler, Ralph, 2006. "Valuation of ecosystem goods and services: Part 2: Implications of unpredictable novel change," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 59(1), pages 94-105, August.
    8. De Chiara, Alessandro & Manna, Ester, 2022. "Corruption, regulation, and investment incentives," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 142(C).

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