Section digests#
Short digests (600-1,000 words) of each of the 47 report sections: story, lessons, mechanisms and caveats.
Files#
| File | Words | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| Digest: LL1-00 (Preface, acknowledgements, contents, Ch1 Introduction) | 1,437 | Source: EEA, Late lessons from early warnings: the precautionary principle 1896–2000 (2001), report pp. 1–16. Authors: Preface by EEA Executive Director Domingo Jiménez Beltrán. Chapter 1 is unsigned (by implication the… |
| LL1-02 digest — Ch2 Fisheries: taking stock | 1,311 | Late lessons from early warnings (EEA 2001), pp. 17–30 (PDF 17–30). The author, Malcolm MacGarvin, is an ecologist and consultant, and also the report’s Executive editor. There are no panels. Full notes are in… |
| LL1-03 digest: Ch3 Radiation: early warnings; late effects | 1,383 | Late lessons from early warnings (EEA, 2001), pp. 31–37. Author: Barrie Lambert, an independent radiation biologist and consultant to “environmental groups, the nuclear industry and government” (p. 197). No panels.… |
| LL1-04 digest: Benzene, an historical perspective on the American and European occupational setting | 1,532 | Late lessons from early warnings (EEA, 2001), Ch. 4, pp. 38–51. Sole author: Peter F. Infante, OSHA. He led the first benzene cohort study and wrote or co-wrote several of the key estimates. The editors disclose his… |
| LL1-05 digest — Ch5 Asbestos: from ‘magic’ to malevolent mineral | 1,580 | Late lessons from early warnings (EEA 2001), pp. 52–63. David Gee and Morris Greenberg. |
| LL1-06 digest — Ch6 PCBs and the precautionary principle | 1,518 | Late lessons from early warnings (EEA, 2001), pp. 64–75. |
| LL1-07 digest — Ch7 Halocarbons, the ozone layer and the precautionary principle | 1,351 | Late lessons from early warnings (EEA, 2001), pp. 76–83. Sole author: Joe Farman, the British Antarctic Survey scientist (1956–90) who was lead author of the 1985 paper reporting the Antarctic ozone losses (editors’… |
| LL1-08 digest — Ch8 The DES story: long-term consequences of prenatal exposure | 1,586 | Late lessons from early warnings (EEA, 2001), pp. 84–92. |
| LL1-09 digest — Ch9 Antimicrobials as growth promoters: resistance to common sense | 1,404 | Late lessons from early warnings (EEA, 2001), pp. 93–100. Authors: Lars-Erik Edqvist (Director General, Swedish National Veterinary Institute; chaired the Swedish Commission on Antimicrobial Feed Additives, 1995–97, p.… |
| LL1-10 digest: Ch10 Sulphur dioxide: from protection of human lungs to remote lake restoration | 1,341 | Late lessons from early warnings (EEA, 2001), pp. 101–109. Author: Arne Semb, a chemist at the Norwegian Institute for Air Research (NILU). He took part in the OECD long-range transport programme, the Norwegian SNSF… |
| LL1-11 digest — Ch11 MTBE in petrol as a substitute for lead | 1,464 | Late lessons from early warnings (EEA, 2001), pp. 110–125. Authors: Martin Krayer von Krauss and Poul Harremoës. Harremoës chaired the report’s editorial team. The chapter has no panels. It was written while the case… |
| LL1-12 digest — Ch12 The precautionary principle and early warnings of chemical contamination of the Great Lakes | 1,494 | Late lessons from early warnings: the precautionary principle 1896–2000 (EEA, 2001), report pp. 126–134. Sole author: Michael Gilbertson (International Joint Commission). The editors flag him as a career-long researcher… |
| LL1-13 digest — Tributyltin (TBT) antifoulants: a tale of ships, snails and imposex | 1,375 | Late lessons from early warnings (EEA, 2001), Ch. 13, pp. 135–148. Authors: David Santillo and Paul Johnston (Greenpeace Research Laboratories) and William J. Langston (Plymouth Marine Laboratory); affiliations are from… |
| LL1-14 digest — Ch14 Hormones as growth promoters: the precautionary principle or a political risk assessment? | 1,496 | Late lessons from early warnings (EEA, 2001), pp. 149–156. Authors: Jim W. Bridges and Olga Bridges (University of Surrey). Jim Bridges advised the EU at the WTO on the ban (p. 195). The chapter text does not say this.… |
| LL1-15 digest: Ch15 ‘Mad cow disease’ 1980s–2000: how reassurances undermined precaution | 1,652 | Source: EEA, Late lessons from early warnings (2001), report pp. 157–167 (PDF pp. 157–167). Authors: Patrick van Zwanenberg and Erik Millstone. The chapter gives no affiliations. Background – verify: science-policy… |
| LL1-16 digest — Ch16 Twelve late lessons | 1,308 | Source: EEA, Late lessons from early warnings: the precautionary principle 1896–2000 (2001), Ch 16, report pp. 168–191 (PDF pp. 168–191). Authors: the editorial team: Harremoës (chair), Gee, MacGarvin, Stirling, Keys,… |
| LL1-17 digest: Ch17 Conclusions | 1,677 | Late lessons from early warnings: the precautionary principle 1896–2000, EEA 2001. Report and PDF pages 192–194. No byline. It is most plausibly the editorial team’s collective conclusion (Harremoës, chair; Gee,… |
| LL2-00 digest: Acknowledgements, Preface, Ch1 Introduction, Part A introduction | 1,111 | Late lessons from early warnings: science, precaution, innovation (EEA 2013). Report pp. 1–16 (PDF pp. 3–18). Full notes: notes/LL2-00.md. |
| LL2-02 digest: The precautionary principle and false alarms (Hansen & Tickner) | 1,272 | EEA 2013, Ch2, pp. 17–45 (text pp. 17–35; Table 2.3 pp. 35–36; references pp. 37–45). No panels. Authors: Hansen (DTU, risk governance) and Tickner (UMass Lowell, chemicals alternatives assessment; a long-standing… |
| LL2-03 digest — Ch3 Lead in petrol ‘makes the mind give way’ | 1,529 | EEA Late lessons II (2013), pp. 46–75. By Herbert Needleman (the paediatrician whose lead research is part of the story, p. 695) and David Gee (EEA editor of Late lessons, former Director of Friends of the Earth UK, p.… |
| LL2-04 digest — Ch4 Too much to swallow: PCE contamination of mains water | 1,343 | Late lessons from early warnings: science, precaution, innovation (EEA 2013), report pp. 76–91. Author: David Ozonoff (environmental health, Boston University). Panels: Christina Rudén (KTH; regulatory toxicology) and… |
| LL2-05 digest: Ch5 Minamata disease: a challenge for democracy and justice | 1,144 | Source: EEA Late lessons from early warnings II (2013), pp. 92–130. - Chapter by Yorifuji, Tsuda and Harada (pp. 92–120). They are epidemiologists and clinicians on the victims’ side of the criteria dispute. Harada… |
| LL2-06 digest — Ch6 Beryllium’s ‘public relations problem’ | 1,330 | Late lessons from early warnings: science, precaution, innovation (EEA 2013), pp. 131–150. |
| LL2-07 digest — Ch7 Tobacco industry manipulation of research | 1,119 | EEA Report No 1/2013, report pp. 151–178 (PDF 153–180). |
| LL2-08 digest — Ch8 Vinyl chloride: a saga of secrecy | 1,313 | EEA 2013, report pp. 179–202 (PDF 181–204). The chapter is by Soffritti (Scientific Director, Ramazzini Institute / Cesare Maltoni Cancer Research Center), Sass (NRDC), Castleman (public-interest consultant) and Gee… |
| LL2-09 digest — Ch9 The pesticide DBCP and male infertility | 1,274 | EEA 2013, report pp. 203–214 (PDF 205–216). Authors: Eula Bingham, who as US Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health in 1977 headed OSHA during the rulemaking she describes (she discloses the… |
| LL2-10 digest — Ch10 Bisphenol A: contested science, divergent safety evaluations | 1,161 | Late lessons from early warnings II (EEA 2013), pp. 215–239 (main text pp. 215–229). Authors: Andreas Gies (German Federal Environment Agency, UBA) and Ana M. Soto (Tufts). No panels. The summary’s reference to a panel… |
| LL2-11 digest — Ch11 DDT: fifty years since Silent Spring | 1,193 | Late lessons II (EEA 2013), pp. 240–260 (PDF 242–262). By Bouwman, Bornman, van den Berg and Kylin. All four do DDT, malaria and persistent-pollutant research, or advise on it, in South Africa, the Netherlands and… |
| LL2-12 digest: Part B divider, and Ch12 Booster biocide antifoulants: is history repeating itself? | 1,306 | Late lessons from early warnings II (EEA 2013), pp. 261–278. Authors: Andrew R. G. Price (marine biologist and consultant; York and Warwick) and James W. Readman (Plymouth Marine Laboratory). The chapter has no panels.… |
| LL2-13 digest — Ch13 Ethinyl oestradiol in the aquatic environment | 1,364 | EEA 2013, report pp. 279–307 (text pp. 279–297; Table 13.1 p. 298). The authors are Susan Jobling (Brunel; her research is much of the evidence) and Richard Owen (formerly head of the Environment Agency’s Environment… |
| LL2-14 digest — Climate change: science and the precautionary principle | 1,308 | Hartmut Grassl and Bert Metz, with Panel 14.1 by Malcolm MacGarvin. Late lessons from early warnings II (EEA 2013), pp. 308–346 (PDF 310–348). |
| LL2-15 digest — Ch15 Floods: lessons about early warning systems | 1,300 | Late lessons from early warnings II (EEA 2013), pp. 347–368 (PDF 349–370). |
| LL2-16 digest — Ch16 Seed-dressing systemic insecticides and honeybees | 1,356 | Late lessons from early warnings II (EEA 2013), pp. 369–406 (PDF 371–408). Authors: Laura Maxim and Jeroen van der Sluijs. The chapter is followed by a Bayer CropScience panel by Richard Schmuck (pp. 401–402) and the… |
| LL2-17 digest — Ch17 Ecosystems and managing the dynamics of change | 1,546 | Late lessons from early warnings II (EEA 2013), pp. 407–428. Authors: Jacqueline McGlade (then EEA Executive Director; formerly a Canadian DFO fisheries scientist) and Sybille van den Hove (report editorial team). Panel… |
| LL2-18 digest: Part C (Emerging issues) and Ch18, Late lessons from Chernobyl, early warnings from Fukushima | 1,445 | EEA 2013, report pp. 429–457. Authors: Paul Dorfman, Aleksandra Fucic and Stephen Thomas. |
| LL2-19 digest — Ch19 Hungry for innovation: from GM crops to agroecology | 1,322 | Late lessons from early warnings II (EEA 2013), Part C “Emerging issues”, pp. 458–485. Authors: Quist, Heinemann, Myhr (biosafety scientists at GenØk and Canterbury), Aslaksen (ecological economist) and Funtowicz… |
| LL2-20 digest — Ch20 Invasive alien species: a growing but neglected threat? | 1,440 | EEA 2013, Part C “Emerging issues”, report pp. 486–508 (text pp. 486–502; Table 20.1 p. 502). The six authors are insiders to IAS governance (Annex 1, pp. 687–697): - Brunel (scientific officer, EPPO); -… |
| LL2-21 digest — Ch21 Mobile phones and brain tumour risk: early warnings, early actions? | 1,241 | Late lessons from early warnings II (EEA 2013), pp. 509–529 (PDF 511–531). Authors: Lennart Hardell and Michael Carlberg (the Swedish “Hardell group”), and David Gee (EEA). There are no panels or responses, so opposing… |
| LL2-22 digest — Ch22 Nanotechnology: early lessons from early warnings | 1,429 | EEA Report No 1/2013, pp. 530–560 (text pp. 530–551). Authors: Hansen, Maynard, Baun, Tickner, Bowman. The chapter updates their 2008 Nature Nanotechnology article. It has no panels. Andrew Maynard, the project lead, is… |
| LL2-23 digest — Part D front matter and Ch23 Understanding and accounting for the costs of inaction | 1,224 | Late lessons from early warnings II (EEA 2013), pp. 561–580 (PDF 563–582). |
| LL2-24 digest — Ch24 Protecting early warners and late victims | 1,326 | Late lessons from early warnings II (EEA 2013), pp. 581–606 (PDF 583–608). |
| LL2-25 digest — Ch25 Why did business not react with precaution to early warnings? | 1,282 | Late lessons from early warnings vol. 2 (EEA 2013), pp. 607–620 (text pp. 607–617). Authors: Marc Le Menestrel (business ethics and decision theory, UPF and INSEAD) and Julian Rode (ethics and behavioural economics, UFZ… |
| LL2-26 digest — Part E introduction and Ch26 Science for precautionary decision-making | 1,220 | (EEA 2013, report pp. 621–642; PDF pp. 623–644. Philippe Grandjean: environmental epidemiologist, Environmental Health editor, LL2 editorial-team member. No panels.) |
| LL2-27 digest — Ch27 More or less precaution? (David Gee) | 1,312 | EEA Report No 1/2013, pp. 643–669 (text pp. 643–662). There are no panels. Box 27.5 consists of “edited extracts” from René von Schomberg (European Commission research directorate, writing in a personal capacity). Gee… |
| LL2-28 — Ch28 In conclusion (digest) | 1,176 | Late lessons from early warnings (EEA 2013), pp. 670–684. No named authors: an EEA editorial synthesis that appears (by inference) to draw heavily on Ch 26 (Grandjean), Ch 27 (Gee) and Ch 15 (floods), and explicitly on… |
| LL2-A2 — Digest: Annex 2, overview of Late lessons from early warnings vol. 1 (2001) | 1,279 | Late lessons from early warnings: science, precaution, innovation, EEA Report No 1/2013, pp. 701–716 (PDF 703–718). Full notes: notes/LL2-A2.md. |
| LL2-A3 digest — Annex 3: An update of some case studies from vol. 1 | 1,096 | EEA Report No 1/2013, pp. 717–737 (PDF 719–739). Full notes: notes/LL2-A3.md. External — verify marks material not from the annex. |