INTEGRATED BIODIVERSITY VALUATION FRAMEWORK: ECOLOGICAL APPROACH

Abstract

Considering biodiversity loss around the world and in line with The Convention of Biological Diversity (CBD) and Aichi Targets, many biodiversity valuation frameworks emerging from different approaches are established mainly based on economic approaches and not much information on ecological approach. Most of the frameworks ignore the biophysical components of the environment as the backbone, put structure-processes-functions in different levels, and less integrated action at the end. In order to make a comprehensive framework for biodiversity valuation, this paper presents a conceptual framework in valuing biodiversity based on ecological principles. The following analysis, integrating socio-cultural, economic, and ecological insights, can help any decision maker to generate better information in sustainable conservation. This paper highlights the importance of biodiversity and its physical environment in driving and promoting processes and functions to provide life support system where humans are part of. Furthermore, all of those results in joint products and functions as life support system which is very important for any components (including humans) of the system. The fact that the ecological value as basis of any valuation is strongly supported by ecological insights. This life support system is frequently viewed and captures as goods and services from economic approach, as ethno practices/perceptions from socio-cultural approach, and as ecosystem sustainability from ecological approach. Integrating these three approaches would help a decision maker investigate comprehensive information correlated with biodiversity value for conservation purposes.