In the 1992 Rio Declaration on Environment and Development, the precautionary principle was stated to be “where there are threats of serious or irreversible damage, lack of full scientific certainty shall not be used as a reason for postponing cost-effective measures to prevent environmental degredation (Rio).” It is along these lines that the article “Climate Crisis Putting Canada’s Rivers at Risk (Sympatico.ca)” makes its case. This article refers to a report released by the WWF (“Canada’s Rivers are at Risk: Environmental Flows and Canada’s Freshwater Future”). This report talks about altered water flows and their effects on any downstream ecosystems.
In the race to find a cleaner energy source, many have turned to hydropower. These projects are changing the basic structure of the rivers. The flow of (among others) the South Saskatchewan River and the St. Lawrence River have been altered so much in the past that it is placing pressure on the surrounding ecosystems.
The WWF recommends that we look at what is happening to these rivers, and try to prevent it from happening to others. They made two suggestions: first, find a long-term plan to keep the rivers flowing; and second, create agreements to protect the ecosystems downstream of the altered river flow. They say “start planning now to protect river flows to ensure water security for the communities and economies that depend on them.”
In short, the WWF would like the Canadian government to take action before something critical happens that can’t be undone. The use of the precautionary principle is effective, because we have no proof that these rivers will ever be able to fully restore themselves. Simply because the damage doesn’t seem widespread at the moment, that doesn’t mean that it won’t be in the near future.
Sources:
"Climate crisis putting Canada's rivers at risk | Sympatico.ca News." Home | Sympatico.ca News. Canada News. Web. 20 Oct. 2009.
"- Rio Declaration - Rio Declaration on Environment and Development - United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) --." -- United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) - Home page --. Web. 20 Oct. 2009.
Your blog really shows the use of the precautionary principle in the thoughts toward the altering of rivers. Maybe more information on the possible consequences of this act could have been helpful. However, since the precautionary principle is about taking measures to prevent future unknown problems, your blog is still very well written. It shows WWF's concern about the what could happen if rivers kept being altered, and your conclusion sums up very accurately how these concerns have a direct link with the precautionary principle. Great blog.
ReplyDeleteHi Jesse, I think you did a great job of properly defining the precautionary principle in the first paragraph of your blog. The concise definition provides the reader with an idea of what to expect in regards to the recommendations made by the WWF and allows them to better understand your analysis of the implications made by the WWF's use of the principle. Well done!
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