Precautionary+principle4

The precautionary principle is a response to uncertainty. Uncertainty is associated with risk towards human health or the environment. The principle discourages activity due to potential risks. The aim for discouragement is to stop potential irreversible or serious harm to humans or the environment. The Precautionary Principle follows the "better safe than sorry" mentality.
 * Precautionary Principle**

The precautionary principle in the case of Banff National Park is associated largely with environmental risks to fulfill human wants. Banff National Park is a beautiful place located in Alberta, Canada. Banff is a tourist icon. The expansion of the tourism industry in Banff is starting to show adverse affects towards the environment. These affects cause the use of the precautionary principle in some of the decisions made in the park. One example where the precautionary principle strategy was used in the park was about the bid put in by Lake Louise for the 1972 Winter Olympic Games. The Games were felt to have too much of an environmental impact on the area. Jean Chretien the environment minister at the time withdrew his support for the bid due to the effects it would have on the park. In 1996 Shelia Copps announced the governments intention to disallow, “ no new parcels of land will be made available for commercial development.” This is a prime example of the government using the precautionary principle. The effects of allowing new commercial development on the land would have indeed created risk toward the environment. The effect or amount of damage created from allowing the risk was uncertain. Commercial growth was discouraged by the government and completely disallowed on the side of precaution and uncertainty.

Source: Monica E. Mulrennan. ___A Casebook of Environmental Issues in Canada___. Department of Geography, Concordia University: John WIley & Sons,inc