Biodiversity and the Precautionary Principle: Risk, Uncertainty and Practice in Conservation and Sustainable Use

Front Cover
Rosie Cooney, Barney Dickson
Earthscan, 2012 - Business & Economics - 337 pages
Great uncertainty typically surrounds decisions and management actions in the conservation of biodiversity and natural resource management, and yet there are risks of serious and irreversible harm for both biodiversity and the humans that rely on it. The precautionary principle arguably underlies all international conservation efforts and promotes acting to avoid serious or irreversible environmental harm, despite lack of scientific certainty as to the likelihood, magnitude or cause of harm. This book is the first to examine the application of the precautionary principle to biodiversity conservation and natural resource management, incorporating perspectives from scientists, economists, lawyers and practitioners from both developing and developed countries. It analyses the application and impacts of the principle in many areas including forestry, invasive alien species, wildlife trade, protected areas and fisheries, in a range of national and international contexts. Particular attention is drawn to issues of equity, livelihoods, science and politics, and the book provides guidelines for applying the precautionary principle to biodiversity conservation and natural resource management.
 

Contents

Chapter 1 from Promise to Practicalities
3
Section One The Precautionary Principle in International Regimes and Policy Processes
19
Section Two National Experience in Applying the Precautionary Principle
95
Precaution Prohibitions and Adaptive Management
157
Section Four The Precautionary Principle and Local Livelihoods
205
Section Five Analytical Perspectives on Precaution
251
Key Issues Tools and Practices
253
Chapter 17 Fairness and Costs and Benefits of Precautionary Action
275
Conclusion
285
Appendix Guidelines for Applying the Precautionary Principle to Biodiversity Conservation and Natural Resource Management
299
Index
307
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