Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of figures
- List of tables
- List of contributors
- Preface
- Acknowledgements
- Foreword
- Introduction
- 1 Do we really care about biodiversity?
- Part I Causes of biodiversity loss
- Part II The value of biodiversity
- 9 Designing the legacy library of genetic resources: approaches, methods and results
- 10 Why the measurement of species diversity requires prior value judgements
- 11 Combining TCM and CVM of endangered species conservation programme: estimation of the marginal value of vultures (Gyps fulvus) in the presence of species–visitors interaction
- 12 Valuing ecological and anthropocentric concepts of biodiversity: a choice experiments application
- 13 Spatially explicit valuation with choice experiments – a case of multiple-use management of forest recreation sites
- Part III Policies for biodiversity conservation
- Part IV Managing agro-biodiversity: causes, values and policies
- Index
- References
12 - Valuing ecological and anthropocentric concepts of biodiversity: a choice experiments application
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 11 August 2009
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of figures
- List of tables
- List of contributors
- Preface
- Acknowledgements
- Foreword
- Introduction
- 1 Do we really care about biodiversity?
- Part I Causes of biodiversity loss
- Part II The value of biodiversity
- 9 Designing the legacy library of genetic resources: approaches, methods and results
- 10 Why the measurement of species diversity requires prior value judgements
- 11 Combining TCM and CVM of endangered species conservation programme: estimation of the marginal value of vultures (Gyps fulvus) in the presence of species–visitors interaction
- 12 Valuing ecological and anthropocentric concepts of biodiversity: a choice experiments application
- 13 Spatially explicit valuation with choice experiments – a case of multiple-use management of forest recreation sites
- Part III Policies for biodiversity conservation
- Part IV Managing agro-biodiversity: causes, values and policies
- Index
- References
Summary
Introduction – the challenge of valuing biodiversity
Society needs to make difficult decisions regarding its use of biological resources, for example in terms of habitat conservation, or changing how we manage farmland through agri-environmental policy (Hanley and Shogren 2002). Environmental valuation techniques can provide useful evidence to support such policies by quantifying the economic value associated with the protection of biological resources. Pearce (2001, p. 29) argues that the measurement of the economic value of biodiversity is a fundamental step towards its conservation since ‘the pressures to reduce biodiversity are so large that the chances that we will introduce incentives [for the protection of biodiversity] without demonstrating the economic value of biodiversity are much less than if we do engage in valuation’. Assigning monetary values to biodiversity is thus important since it allows the benefits associated with biodiversity to be directly compared with the economic value of alternative resource use options (Nunes and van den Bergh 2001). OECD (2001) also recognises the importance of measuring the economic value of biodiversity and identifies a wide range of uses for such values, including demonstrating the value of biodiversity, in targeting biodiversity protection within scarce budgets, and in determining damages for loss of biodiversity in liability regimes.
More generally, the role of environmental valuation methodologies in policy formulation is increasingly being recognised by policy-makers.
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- Biodiversity EconomicsPrinciples, Methods and Applications, pp. 343 - 368Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2007