SPECIAL ISSUE EDITORIAL: REGULATION OF PESTICIDES IN FIVE NATIONAL CONTEXTS: THE NEED FOR A PARADIGM SHIFT FROM CAUSATION TO CAUTION

摘要

It appears from all these contributions that policymakers should rely on scientific controversies and uncertainties to avoid launching pesticides onto the market, which are later shown to be unsafe for health and the environment. In a country like Canada, where the precautionary principle is now used, the burden of proof is reversed. Approval of pesticides is regularly reassessed and scientific studies, including international studies, are routinely referred to, to balance scientific claims as presented by the industry. Australia would gain by moving toward this direction to offer a safety net to citizens and the environment. This alternative does not eliminate science, but combines the precautionary principle with the current and accessible knowledge to prevent damage to the environment and the population (as well as animals' health).