Sustainability Lunchtime Seminars: Where Environmental Law Meets Economic Law

Speaker

Dr. David Gee, Former Senior Science Adviser European Environmental Agency, Visiting Fellow, Centre for Pollution Research and Policy, Brunel University, London

Abstract

The histories of some 35 hazardous agents (chemical, technological and in ecosystems) that have been reviewed and analysed by the European Environment Agency in its two volumes of "Late Lessons from Early Warnings: the Precautionary Principle 1896-2000" (EEA 2001) and "Late Lessons from early warnings: Science; Precaution, Innovation'' (EEA 2013) revealed 4 common arguments used to delay timely preventive actions. These 4 concern the consistency/inconsistency of research results; the effects/adverse effects dichotomy; the strength of evidence for causality; and the safety of current exposure limits for workers, children and the public. These 4 issues will be critically examined via a focus on the current debate in Germany and elsewhere in Europe, Australia, and the USA etc. concerning the safety of electromagnetic radiations from mobile telecommunications as used in 3-5G systems. 

Biography

David Gee worked at the interface of science and policy-making on occupational, public and on the environmental health from 1974, in the UK, with trade unions and NGOs and with the European Environment Agency, Copenhagen,1995-2012 when he retired. He is the initiator and co–editor of the two volumes of “Late Lessons from Early Warnings” (EEA,2001, 2013).  He has a special interest in evaluating evidence; causality; the foresight (precautionary) principle; EMF; & developmental/reproductive harms. He is a Fellow of Collegium Ramazzini; Expert Advisor to the Int. Comm. BioL. Effects -EMF; and a Visiting Fellow at the Centre for Pollution Research and Policy, Brunel University, London.

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