Justifying Nature-based Solutions

Biology and Philosophy 38 (5):1-15 (2023)
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Abstract

Nature-based solutions (NbS) have in recent years occupied a central position in conservation and climate discussions among both scientists and policy makers. NbS generally refer to a set of strategies which use nature, or natural objects, to address societal (human) issues while simultaneously supporting the broader environment. This paper examines the concept of NbS to determine whether it is a useful and well-motivated category to guide future climate and conservation efforts. I argue that NbS may in fact be a valuable contribution to environmental thought and policy, but not for the reasons that they are typically thought to be. Specifically: while we have reason to doubt that NbS should be prioritized over other environmental strategies on the grounds that they are uniquely environmentally-friendly or supportive of biodiversity, they may nevertheless have an advantage insofar as they play a vital aesthetic role in developing a healthier relationship between humans and the nonhuman world.

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Kate Nicole Hoffman
University of Cincinnati

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What is Biodiversity?James Maclaurin & Kim Sterelny - 2008 - University of Chicago Press.
47 The Trouble With Wilderness.William Cronon - forthcoming - Environmental Ethics: The Big Questions.
Save the planet: eliminate biodiversity.Carlos Santana - 2014 - Biology and Philosophy 29 (6):761-780.
Making sense of nature conservation after the end of nature.Elena Casetta - 2020 - History and Philosophy of the Life Sciences 42 (2):1-23.

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