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The cautionary principle in risk management: Foundation and practical use

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  • Aven, Terje

Abstract

The precautionary principle is well known among scientists, politicians and the public in general. However, the closely related and broader cautionary principle is not so often referred to. Whereas the precautionary principle is typically invoked in cases of scientific uncertainties, the cautionary principle applies to the more general situation of risk and uncertainties. The present paper summarises and extends the argumentation adopted to justify the cautionary principle and presents and discusses some real-life examples of its use, covering both safety and security issues. The aim of the paper is to clarify the rationale of the principle in risk management, by reasoning and using these examples to illustrate the ideas and argumentation. The paper also refers to a new concept, the ‘anti-cautionary principle’, which stimulates actions and measures that can produce highly positive values.

Suggested Citation

  • Aven, Terje, 2019. "The cautionary principle in risk management: Foundation and practical use," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 191(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:reensy:v:191:y:2019:i:c:s0951832018313255
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ress.2019.106585
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Terje Aven, 2011. "On Different Types of Uncertainties in the Context of the Precautionary Principle," Risk Analysis, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 31(10), pages 1515-1525, October.
    2. Aven, Terje & Renn, Ortwin, 2018. "Improving government policy on risk: Eight key principles," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 176(C), pages 230-241.
    3. Jones-Lee, M. & Aven, T., 2011. "ALARP—What does it really mean?," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 96(8), pages 877-882.
    4. Martin Peterson, 2006. "The Precautionary Principle Is Incoherent," Risk Analysis, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 26(3), pages 595-601, June.
    5. Aven, Terje & Kristensen, Vidar, 2019. "How the distinction between general knowledge and specific knowledge can improve the foundation and practice of risk assessment and risk-informed decision-making," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 191(C).
    6. Terje Aven, 2015. "The Concept of Antifragility and its Implications for the Practice of Risk Analysis," Risk Analysis, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 35(3), pages 476-483, March.
    7. Roger Flage & Terje Aven & Enrico Zio & Piero Baraldi, 2014. "Concerns, Challenges, and Directions of Development for the Issue of Representing Uncertainty in Risk Assessment," Risk Analysis, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 34(7), pages 1196-1207, July.
    8. Charles Vlek, 2011. "Straightening Out the Grounds for Precaution: A Commentary and Some Suggestions About Terje Aven's “On Different Types of Uncertainties”," Risk Analysis, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 31(10), pages 1534-1537, October.
    9. Torbjørn Bjerga & Terje Aven, 2016. "Some perspectives on risk management: A security case study from the oil and gas industry," Journal of Risk and Reliability, , vol. 230(5), pages 512-520, October.
    10. Terje Aven, 2017. "On some foundational issues related to cost-benefit and risk," International Journal of Business Continuity and Risk Management, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 7(3), pages 182-191.
    11. D. Warner North, 2011. "Uncertainties, Precaution, and Science: Focus on the State of Knowledge and How It May Change," Risk Analysis, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 31(10), pages 1526-1529, October.
    12. Aven, Terje, 2016. "Risk assessment and risk management: Review of recent advances on their foundation," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 253(1), pages 1-13.
    13. Aven, T. & Flage, R., 2009. "Use of decision criteria based on expected values to support decision-making in a production assurance and safety setting," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 94(9), pages 1491-1498.
    14. Aven, Terje & Ylönen, Marja, 2018. "A risk interpretation of sociotechnical safety perspectives," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 175(C), pages 13-18.
    15. Terje Aven, 2012. "Foundational Issues in Risk Assessment and Risk Management," Risk Analysis, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 32(10), pages 1647-1656, October.
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    1. Terje Aven, 2019. "Comments to Orri Stefánsson's Paper on the Precautionary Principle," Risk Analysis, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 39(6), pages 1223-1224, June.

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