A Cautionary Tale a....

There is a tendency to belittle the precautionary principle - the idea that even if something isn't proved it shouldn't necessarily be ignored. The more likely a situation is and/or the greater the damage the event could have if it happened, the more likely it is it should be given weight in decision making.

Christchurch is a case in point. The University of Canterbury warned there might be a new fault line in the making. The Council knew if they were proved right houses in areas where they planned to build suburbs could subside with catastrophic results. They went ahead on the grounds it was improbable. Not a wise move.