Description:
There is an intrinsic tension in the formulation of environmental policy between the efficiency of geographical generalization and the site specificity required to accommodate geographical variation in the environment. This problem is illustrated by reference to the extension of Swedish policy on surface water liming from southern to northern Sweden. The greater importance of natural sources of acidity (organic carbon and sulphide-rich soils) in the north requires a revision of liming programme guidelines developed in response to the different environment of southern Sweden. In the face of uncertainty about the prudence of liming in the north, the precautionary principle may offer some guidance. For a remedial action such as liming to be conducted in accordance with the precautionary principle, a much greater degree of certainty about the prudence of the action is required than would be appropriate for preventive action. This is because remedial actions treat symptoms rather than causes and there are environmental risks associated with such symptomatic treatments if they are not appropriate to the circumstances in question.