Prof.Paolo F.Ricci Gave a Lecture at SCSI, Xiamen University

The lecture “Precautionary Principle and Application in Public Decision Making: EU. US Approaches” was sponsored by the South China Sea Institute, Xiamen University, and the Xiamen University Center for Oceans Law and the Chinese South and East Seas. It was held on Friday, June 28, 2013 from 15:00 to 17:00, in Law B420.

Professor Paolo F. Ricci, from the University of Massachusetts Amherst School of Public Health, discussed the intersection of law and science. Taking the question, "What specific measures we can take based on the Precautionary Principle?" as a starting point, heintroduced applications of the principle to situations concerning Europe and the United States. First of all, he emphasized the necessity of risk assessment in American and European environmental decisions, explaining that the precautionary principle functioned as a necessary part of the risk assessment to solve the problems of uncertainty. This application embodies the intersection of law and science, and aids in making reasonable decisions concerning the environment.

During the lecture, the audience gained a deeper understanding of the precautionary principle, and the lecture was judged a great success.