Abstract

In this article, we present results from a literature review of intrinsic, instrumental, and relational values of nature conducted for the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, as part of the Methodological Assessment of the Diverse Values and Valuations of Nature. We identify the most frequently recurring meanings in the heterogeneous use of different value types and their association with worldviews and other key concepts. From frequent uses, we determine a core meaning for each value type, which is sufficiently inclusive to serve as an umbrella over different understandings in the literature and specific enough to help highlight its difference from the other types of values. Finally, we discuss convergences, overlapping areas, and fuzzy boundaries between different value types to facilitate dialogue, reduce misunderstandings, and improve the methods for valuation of nature's contributions to people, including ecosystem services, to inform policy and direct future research.

Keywords

assessments; biodiversity; philosophy; policy, ethics; sustainability

Published in

Bioscience
2024, Volume: 74, number: 1, pages: 25–43
Publisher: OXFORD UNIV PRESS

SLU Authors

• Stålhammar, Sanna

  • Department of Landscape Architecture, Planning and Management, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

Associated SLU-program

SLUsystematic


UKÄ Subject classification

Ecology
Social Sciences Interdisciplinary
Philosophy


Publication identifier

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/biosci/biad109

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/127836