Table 1. Summary of the key contested ethical and social issues in biodiversity offsetting. Tractability of both scientific and implementation elements of each issue is coded from High to Low: H = Approximate solutions exist or are easily discoverable; M = Solutions are in theory empirically discoverable, but unknown/uncertain/very hard to learn about (scientific) or unlikely to be put in place because of the political and governance context (implementation); and L = Issue is fundamentally intractable. Challenge Tractability Response needed Barriers Scientific Philosophical/Ethical What values are Continuing societal debate Fundamentally unresolvable value L L important? judgement about competing philosophies Ethical basis for Carefully designed evaluation of effect of Diverse and changing value sets for M M conservation offset-type policies on development biodiversity
Table 1. Summary of the key contested ethical and social issues in biodiversity offsetting. Tractability of both scientific and implementation elements of each issue is coded from High to Low: H = Approximate solutions exist or are easily discoverable; M = Solutions are in theory empirically discoverable, but unknown/uncertain/very hard to learn about (scientific) or unlikely to be put in place because of the political and governance context (implementation); and L = Issue is fundamentally intractable. Challenge Tractability Response needed Barriers Scientific Philosophical/Ethical What values are important? L L Continuing societal debate Fundamentally unresolvable value judgement about competing philosophies Ethical basis for conservation M M Carefully designed evaluation of effect of offset-type policies on development Diverse and changing value sets for biodiversity
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