About this Research Topic
How do the valuations of nature’s contributions to people, i.e., all the benefits that humanity obtains from nature, link to concrete actions? In line with other bodies and a manifold of researchers addressing contemporary environmental challenges, IPBES global assessment concludes that a fundamental reorganization across technological, economic, and social factors, including values, is needed to achieve goals for conserving and sustainably using nature. This reorganization implies transformative changes in the production and consumption of energy, food, and fiber, among others. Valuation of nature’s contributions to people is considered as an important means to facilitate transformative change.
By clarifying and assessing the multiple values of nature and its benefits, we get a better understanding of what is at stake, for whom, and also the tools for making priorities. Nevertheless, valuation is a means to an end. Likewise, increased awareness of the values of biodiversity, as the Aichi biodiversity target 1 is formulated, is also a means to an end. The links between valuation, increasing awareness, and concrete actions, among policymakers as well as other decision-makers, including individuals, are of crucial importance for transformative change to start and proceed.
This Research Topic intends to present and share insights from various perspectives and theoretical as well as methodological approaches on the connections between valuations of nature’s contributions to people, including ecosystem services, awareness, and concrete actions. Among others, we welcome contributions on the following issues:
- How valuations of nature’s contributions to people play a role for political decision making
- Links between valuations of nature’s contributions to people, increasing public awareness, and public behavioral change
- Communication of the values of nature’s contributions to people for increasing public awareness and action among various kinds of decision-makers
- Cognition vs. affection for enhancing changes in decisions and behavior
By clarifying and assessing the multiple values of nature and its benefits, we get a better understanding of what is at stake, for whom, and also the tools for making priorities. Nevertheless, valuation is a means to an end. Likewise, increased awareness of the values of biodiversity, as the Aichi biodiversity target 1 is formulated, is also a means to an end. The links between valuation, increasing awareness, and concrete actions, among policymakers as well as other decision-makers, including individuals, are of crucial importance for transformative change to start and proceed.
This Research Topic intends to present and share insights from various perspectives and theoretical as well as methodological approaches on the connections between valuations of nature’s contributions to people, including ecosystem services, awareness, and concrete actions. Among others, we welcome contributions on the following issues:
- How valuations of nature’s contributions to people play a role for political decision making
- Links between valuations of nature’s contributions to people, increasing public awareness, and public behavioral change
- Communication of the values of nature’s contributions to people for increasing public awareness and action among various kinds of decision-makers
- Cognition vs. affection for enhancing changes in decisions and behavior
Keywords: environmental behaviour, policy making, transformative change
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
