All new technologies have unintended consequences and we have to solve those problems. They are seldom the problems that people are initially concerned about. If we are too cautious we make it harder to get things done, solve other problems and survive future crises, including environmental crises.

Being too cautious has been the default position throughout history and pre-history. It used to be about not offending the gods or deviating from tribal customs (e.g. a tribe goes extinct from starvation next to a river full of fish, because they can't or won't conceive of eating fish)

The same impulse is nowadays wrapped in scientific clothing.