Practicing Precaution and Adaptive Management: Legal, Institutional and Procedural Dimensions of Scientific Uncertainty

243 Pages Posted: 4 Jun 2013

See all articles by Jamie Benidickson

Jamie Benidickson

University of Ottawa - Common Law Section

Nathalie J. Chalifour

University of Ottawa - Common Law Section

Yves Prévost

University of Ottawa - Faculty of Law

Jennifer A. Chandler

University of Ottawa - Common Law Section

André Dabrowski

University of Ottawa - Department of Mathematics and Statistics

Scott Findlay

University of Ottawa - Institute of the Environment

Annik Déziel

University of Ottawa - Institute of the Environment

Heather C. McLeod-Kilmurray

University of Ottawa - Common Law Section

Dan Lane

University of Ottawa - Telfer School of Management

Date Written: 2005

Abstract

This multi-author report is the product of collaborative interdisciplinary research about the use of the precautionary and adaptive management principles in administrative decision-making when faced with scientific uncertainty. Using four case studies about genetically modified organisms, pesticides, fisheries and invasive species, the report discusses (i) how the principles of precaution and adaptive management are understood and applied; (ii) how their introduction might affect the operation of traditional administrative law values (fairness, legitimacy and effectiveness); and, (iii) how the new principles may be most appropriately accommodated within the general framework of administrative law values. The authors observe that the precaution, adaptive management and administrative law principles must be framed and applied in a way that reflects the social values that support their existence, and will thus be influenced by the context in which administrative decisions are made. The report concludes with recommendations for standards of review in administrative law, accounting for various factors: expertise, participation, evidentiary and other procedural rules and mechanisms for review and accountability.

Keywords: interdisciplinary, precautionary, adaptive management, administrative, law, scientific, uncertainty, case, study, studies, genetically, modified, organisms, pesticides, fisheries, invasive, species, fairness, legitimacy, effectiveness, executive, decisions, decision-making, bureaucratic, government

Suggested Citation

Benidickson, Jamie and Chalifour, Nathalie and Prévost, Yves and Chandler, Jennifer A. and Dabrowski, André and Findlay, Scott and Déziel, Annik and McLeod-Kilmurray, Heather C. and Lane, Dan, Practicing Precaution and Adaptive Management: Legal, Institutional and Procedural Dimensions of Scientific Uncertainty (2005). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2272684 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2272684

Jamie Benidickson (Contact Author)

University of Ottawa - Common Law Section ( email )

57 Louis Pasteur Street
Ottawa, K1N 6N5
Canada

Nathalie Chalifour

University of Ottawa - Common Law Section ( email )

57 Louis Pasteur Street
Ottawa, K1N 6N5
Canada

HOME PAGE: http://www.uottawa.ca

Yves Prévost

University of Ottawa - Faculty of Law ( email )

57 Louis Pasteur Street
Ottawa, Ontario K1N 6N5
Canada

Jennifer A. Chandler

University of Ottawa - Common Law Section ( email )

57 Louis Pasteur Street
Ottawa, K1N 6N5
Canada
613-562-5800 ext. 3286 (Phone)
613-562-5124 (Fax)

André Dabrowski

University of Ottawa - Department of Mathematics and Statistics ( email )

2292 Edwin Crescent
Ottawa, Ontario K2C 1H7
Canada

Scott Findlay

University of Ottawa - Institute of the Environment ( email )

2292 Edwin Crescent
Ottawa, Ontario K2C 1H7
Canada

Annik Déziel

University of Ottawa - Institute of the Environment ( email )

2292 Edwin Crescent
Ottawa, Ontario K2C 1H7
Canada

Heather C. McLeod-Kilmurray

University of Ottawa - Common Law Section ( email )

57 Louis Pasteur Street
Ottawa, K1N 6N5
Canada

Dan Lane

University of Ottawa - Telfer School of Management ( email )

136 Jean-Jacques Lussier Street
Ottawa, Ontario K1N 6N5
Canada

Do you have negative results from your research you’d like to share?

Paper statistics

Downloads
176
Abstract Views
1,897
Rank
307,910
PlumX Metrics