The transatlantic shift in regulatory stringency -- Explaining regulatory policy divergence -- Food safety and agriculture -- Air pollution -- Chemicals and hazardous substances -- Consumer safety -- Public risk perceptions and the preferences of policy makers -- The law and politics of risk assessment -- Broader implications
Summary
The Politics of Precaution examines the politics of consumer and environmental risk regulation in the United States and Europe over the last five decades, explaining why America and Europe have often regulated a wide range of similar risks differently. It finds that between 1960 and 1990, American health, safety, and environmental regulations were more stringent, risk averse, comprehensive, and innovative than those adopted in Europe. But since around 1990, the book shows, global regulatory leadership has shifted to Europe
