Applying the Precautionary Principle to Emerging Zoonotic Disease: Lessons from China’s Response in Environmental Law

Emerging zoonotic disease (EZD) is a major threat to human health which closely relates to anthropogenic environmental change. In its response to COVID-19, China applied the precautionary principle at the interface of environmental, animal and public health. As such, scientific uncertainties can no longer justify inaction against the causes of EZDs, and closer collaboration among sectors becomes an obligation under this integrated approach to precaution. Stricter regulation is established by improving the legal systems for surveillance, risk assessment and utilisation management. However, the aspiration for precaution is restrained, given that zoonotic risk indicators are still not explicitly incorporated into environmental impact assessment. By contrast, the prohibition on bushmeat consumption is so radical that it invites reflection on the limits on precaution. Taking social–political priorities and available enforcement resources into account, it is argued that the precautionary principle is flexible enough for countries to develop cost-effective regulation that adapts to context.