Why protect nature? Rethinking values and the environment

A cornerstone of environmental policy is the debate over protecting nature for humans’ sake (instrumental values) or for nature’s (intrinsic values). We propose that focusing only on instrumental or intrinsic values may fail to resonate with views on personal and collective well-being, or “what is right,” with regard to nature and the environment. Without complementary attention to other ways that value is expressed and realized by people, such a focus may inadvertently promote worldviews at odds with fair and desirable futures. It is time to engage seriously with a third class of values, one with diverse roots and current expressions: relational values. By doing so, we reframe the discussion about environmental protection, and open the door to new, potentially more productive policy approaches.Fil: Chan, Kai M. A.. University of British Columbia. Institute for Resources, Environment, and Sustainability; CanadáFil: Balvanera, Patricia. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. Instituto de Investigaciones en Ecosistemas y Sustentabilidad; MéxicoFil: Benessaiah, Karina. Arizona State University. School of Geographical Sciences and Urban Planning; Estados UnidosFil: Chapman, Molly. University of British Columbia. Institute for Resources, Environment, and Sustainability; CanadáFil: Diaz, Sandra Myrna. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal; ArgentinaFil: Gómez Baggethun, Erik. University of Oxford. Norwegian Institute for Nature Research. Environmental Change Institute; NoruegaFil: Gould, Rachelle. University of Vermont. Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources; Estados UnidosFil: Hannahs, Neil. Land Assets Division, Kamehameha Schools; Estados UnidosFil: Jax, Kurt. Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research. Department of Conservation Biology; AlemaniaFil: Klain, Sarah. University of British Columbia. Institute for Resources, Environment, and Sustainability; CanadáFil: Luck, Gary. Charles Sturt University. Institute for Land, Water and Society; AustraliaFil: Martín López, Berta. Leuphana University. Research, Faculty of Sustainability. Institute of Ethics and Transdisciplinary Sustainability; AlemaniaFil: Muraca, Bárbara. Oregon State University. School of History, Religion and Philosophy; Estados UnidosFil: Norton, Bryan. Georgia Institute of Technology. School of Public Policy; Estados UnidosFil: Ott, Conrad. Kiel University. Department of Philosophy; AlemaniaFil: Pascual, Unai. Ikerbasque Basque Foundation for Science; EspañaFil: Satterfield, Terre. University of British Columbia. Institute for Resources, Environment, and Sustainability ; CanadáFil: Tadaki, Marc. Department of Geography, University of British Columbia; CanadáFil: Taggart, Jonathan. University of British Columbia. Institute for Resources, Environment, and Sustainability; CanadáFil: Turner, Nancy. University of Victoria. School of Environmental Studies; Canad