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Towards an Independent Review of the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Mechanism Based on Environmental Dispute Resolution Principles & theScientific Standards of Testability, Objectivity & Impartiality (Posted 17 June 2020) KEY WORDS: Covid-19; evaluation; WHO; World Health Assembly; information conflicts; scientific round-table; fact-finding; testability; objectivity; impartiality; data mediation; consensus decision-making
1.0 An aim of the landmark World Health Assembly resolution was the need for a “stepwise process of impartial, independent and comprehensive evaluation including using existing mechanisms” of the global response to the COVID-19 pandemic.’ 2.0 Existing WHO mechanisms that could undertake an evaluation were referred to by the resolution. 3.0 However, there are some COVID-19 issues in dispute that warrant an alternative, external mechanism to the existing WHO mechanisms to dispel any concerns over objectivity, transparency, and neutrality. 4.0 A cross-disciplinary model (conflict resolution/science) for environmental dispute resolution is outlined in this article that would facilitate an independent, impartial, and comprehensive evaluation of the COVID-19 pandemic.
COMMENT: The COVID-19 Global Pandemic & Decision-Making Early Warning, Risk Analysis, & the Precautionary Principle (Posted 17 June 2020) KEY WORDS: COVID-19; preparedness; risk assessment - communication; precautionary principle; epidemiological assessment; resilience; sustainable development; SDG 3 1.0 A pathway to address global concerns related to the “early warning, risk reduction and management of national and global health risks”, is outlined. 2.0 The linkage between the application of the precautionary principle and epidemiological assessment is the trigger for a risk assessment - the basis for decision-making on preparedness and the early warning of a pandemic. 3.0 Using COVID-19 as an example, decision-making under the pathway would proceed along the following sequence of steps: The Precautionary Principle - Epidemiological Assessment - Risk Assessment - Risk Communication - The Risk Management/ Resilience/Sustainable Development Linkage. 4.0 The pathway can also be a relevant consideration to avoid history repeating e.g. the global controversy over the time taken before an early warning was given for COVID-19. A review of the precautionary principle, environmental decision-making and comparitive approaches taken by Australia, UK and USA, were part of Chapter 7: "Risk, Precaution and the Environment - Biotechnology", of Ted's book. A Google search of this book's title: - Finding Solutions for Environmental Conflicts turns up 376,000,000 results (on 08 May 2022). The author’s book appears as 9 of the 10 results on Google page 1 - including @ #1, page 1.
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