As part of Boston Climate Week, The Harvard University Biodiversity and Planetary Stewardship Initiative (HUBS) , anchored at the Salata Institute for Climate and Sustainability, hosted a panel discussion and networking reception around the Future of Biodiversity.
Biodiversity underpins our planet’s life support systems, yet views differ on why biodiversity matters. On one end of the spectrum, nature matters because it supports the well-being of people, primarily through natural capital (the “utilitarian” perspective). On the other end of the spectrum, the diversity of nature has an intrinsic value, given its 3.9 billion years of evolutionary history, most of that in the absence of humans (the “nature for nature” perspective).
This panel explores these contrasting perspectives and how they can be reconciled. In doing so, we examine the roles and responsibilities humans bring to the table, whether it is protecting pristine environments, enjoying wildlife, or utilizing nature for its ecosystem services.
