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Beyond Economic Efficiency in Biodiversity Conservation

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  • Franz W. Gatzweiler

Abstract

This paper aims at explaining the importance of the democracy stance as compared to the efficiency stance in order to achieve the conservation of biodiversity. While the efficiency stance only refers to the realm of relatively simple systems, individual rationality, and instrumental values, the complexity stance transcends these boundaries into the realm of complex systems, social rationality and intrinsic values. I argue that if biodiversity is not only regarded as a resource but also a systemic condition, the task of biodiversity conservation is impossible to achieve in economically efficient ways only, because (a) it is impossible to come to a (fully informed) complete account of all values, (b) intrinsic values are involved which exclude themselves from being accounted for in economically efficient terms, and (c) biodiversity conservation can be regarded as an end in itself instead of only a means towards the end of human well-being. The point I raise is, that in order to cope with biodiversity conservation in its entirity we need to choose value articulating institutions which take better account of intrinsic values or even feelings of people who are ultimately part of the same system and may feel that their existence should not be justified on the grounds of economic efficiency. It is how we choose to perceive people and biodiversity that determines choices of how to conserve biodiversity and invest in peoples conservation capabilities. JEL-Codes: B52, Q51, Q57

Suggested Citation

  • Franz W. Gatzweiler, 2008. "Beyond Economic Efficiency in Biodiversity Conservation," Journal of Interdisciplinary Economics, , vol. 19(2-3), pages 215-238, January.
  • Handle: RePEc:sae:jinter:v:19:y:2008:i:2-3:p:215-238
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Biodiversity conservation; efficiency; complexity; values; feelings; institutions;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • B52 - Schools of Economic Thought and Methodology - - Current Heterodox Approaches - - - Historical; Institutional; Evolutionary; Modern Monetary Theory;
    • Q51 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Valuation of Environmental Effects
    • Q57 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Ecological Economics

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