Law
The Precautionary Principle in International Environmental Law Disputes
Quick fact
In the 1998 Beef Hormones case, the WTO Appellate Body controversially ruled that the precautionary principle could not override explicit trade obligations, even when scientific uncertainty existed about health risks—highlighting the tension between trade and environmental law.
Why this is interesting
When is it acceptable to act before science gives us a clear answer? In international law, the precautionary principle says sometimes we must—but its application is fiercely debated.