The Precautionary Principle is not applicable:

• When the scale of a potential risk is too low for precautionary action to have a benefit.
• When the tradeoffs are substantial and known. When we know that not taking action will cause more damage th...

• When the costs of waiting are low and the safety of something is uncertain.
• When preserving optionality is a priority. Ensuring we don't restrict the available resources or leave messes we can't deal with.
• When the potential costs of ...

When dealing with risks, we need to be aware of what we don't or can't know for sure.

How to use the Principle:

• Competing priorities should be combined with other decision-making principles. E.g. "Explore vs exploit" means focusing on existing options before tryi...

Even if we make the slightest change within a complex system, we risk far-reaching unintended consequences.

The Precautionary Principle reflects working with and within complex systems. It focuses on waiting for more complete information before risking the possibility of damage