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What are shared and social values of ecosystems?

  • Andrew Church
    ,
  • Jasper O. Kenter
    ,
  • Liz O'Brien
    ,
  • Neal Hockley
    ,
  • Neil Ravenscroft
    ,
  • Ioan Fazey
  • University of Aberdeen
    ,
  • Dunstaffnage Marine Laboratory
    ,
  • Forestry Commission England
    ,
  • Bangor University
    ,
  • University of Brighton
    ,
  • University of Dundee
Research Output: Contribution to journal Article Peer-review

Open access

Abstract

Social valuation of ecosystem services and public policy alternatives is one of the greatest challenges facing ecological economists today. Frameworks for valuing nature increasingly include shared/social values as a distinct category of values. However, the nature of shared/social values, as well as their relationship to other values, has not yet been clearly established and empirical evidence about the importance of shared/social values for valuation of ecosystem services is lacking. To help address these theoretical and empirical limitations, this paper outlines a framework of shared/social values across five dimensions: value concept, provider, intention, scale, and elicitation process. Along these dimensions we identify seven main, non-mutually exclusive types of shared values: transcendental, cultural/societal, communal, group, deliberated and other-regarding values, and value to society. Using a case study of a recent controversial policy on forest ownership in England, we conceptualise the dynamic interplay between shared/social and individual values. The way in which social value is assessed in neoclassical economics is discussed and critiqued, followed by consideration of the relation between shared/social values and Total Economic Value, and a review of deliberative and non-monetary methods for assessing shared/social values. We conclude with a discussion of the importance of shared/social values for decision-making.

Publication Information

Output type

Research Output: Contribution to journal Article Peer-review

Original language

English

Pages from-to (Number of pages)

Pages 86-99

Journal (Volume, Issue Number)

Ecological Economics (Volume 111)

Publication milestones

  • Accepted/In press - 22/01/2015
  • Published - 06/02/2015

Publication status

Published - 06/02/2015

ISSN

0921-8009

External Publication IDs

  • handle.net: 10547/625139
  • Scopus: 84922350009

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