varúðarsjónarmið
Varúðarsjónarmið, often translated as the precautionary principle, is a concept in risk management and environmental policy. It suggests that if an action or policy has a suspected risk of causing harm to the public or to the environment, in the absence of scientific consensus that the action or policy is harmful, the burden of proof that it is *not* harmful falls on those taking the action. This principle is particularly relevant when dealing with potentially irreversible or catastrophic consequences.
The core idea is to err on the side of caution. Instead of waiting for definitive scientific
Critics of the precautionary principle argue that it can stifle innovation and economic development by imposing