Main content
Course: How we interact with our environment - Class 12 > Unit 3
Lesson 3: Conservation of biodiversity- What is a biodiversity hotspot?
- Why should we conserve biodiversity?
- Conservation and the race to save biodiversity
- Humans and biodiversity
- Protecting biodiversity: the power of the individual
- Protecting biodiversity: local and global policies
- Human impact on ecosystems review
- Human impact on ecosystems
- How to conserve biodiversity
© 2024 Khan AcademyTerms of usePrivacy PolicyCookie Notice
Why should we conserve biodiversity?
Utilitarian and ethical arguments for the protection of biodiversity on earth.
This article summarizes the narrowly and broad utilitarian arguments for conserving biodiversity, and briefly reviews the ethical argument for the same.
Key terms
term | meaning |
---|---|
biodiversity | the variety/types of living organisms on our planet |
utilitarian | an approach that looks at the value or utility of something |
Why should we conserve biodiversity?
What does it mean to conserve biodiversity? Does it simply involve ensuring that the numbers of species of different living organisms stay the same? Why would it matter if a species or two died out?
It may not seem obvious why at first, but it actually does matter! Each species contributes to the ecosystem in its own way. Biodiversity can also help prevent climate change, and even make humans money! Different people have different types of arguments for why it is important to protect biodiversity. Broadly, these can be divided into two types.
One school of thought is very simple - biodiversity offers us (humans) useful resources, and therefore must be conserved. This is known as a utilitarian approach or argument, because it involves thinking about utilizing, or using, biodiversity. The other, very different approach tends to involve ethics, or emotions, and a sense of duty towards our planet. This is known as a non-utilitarian approach.
Let's take a brief look at both these types of arguments.
Utilitarian arguments for conserving biodiversity
The utilitarian approach itself has two types of arguments - narrow and broad.
Narrowly utilitarian
This type of argument puts humans at the centre; it points out simply how much people benefit directly from diversity in nature. For example, we use countless types of vegetables for food, rely on microorganisms like yeast for baking, source rubber from trees for various purposes, and so on.
This type of argument puts humans at the centre; it points out simply how much people benefit directly from diversity in nature. For example, we use countless types of vegetables for food, rely on microorganisms like yeast for baking, source rubber from trees for various purposes, and so on.
There is even a process, known as bioprospecting or biodiversity prospecting, that studies different natural resources and checks if they can be used commercially. The narrowly utilitarian argument is all about how much money there is to be made from biodiversity, and therefore how important it is that we conserve it.
Broadly utilitarian
This approach zooms out a bit and looks at the benefits of biodiversity at a larger scale. It points out that biodiversity carries out very large services that are essential for life on earth. For example, trees produce oxygen, capture carbon dioxide, provide shade, and are home to several other living organisms. Some of these organisms, like birds and bees, can pollinate flowers, and thus propagate plants.
This approach zooms out a bit and looks at the benefits of biodiversity at a larger scale. It points out that biodiversity carries out very large services that are essential for life on earth. For example, trees produce oxygen, capture carbon dioxide, provide shade, and are home to several other living organisms. Some of these organisms, like birds and bees, can pollinate flowers, and thus propagate plants.
This argument, therefore, focuses on how useful biodiversity is at performing important and priceless services.
Non-utilitarian argument for conserving biodiversity.
This type of approach can be considered an ethical approach. Here, the focus is on our responsibility, as human beings, to take care of a planet that has sustained us for millions of years. It also looks at protection of biodiversity as a moral necessity, to ensure that future generations inherit a planet with a future.