Ethics in biodiversity conservation: The meaning and importance of pluralism

Addressing the global extent of current biodiversity crisis requires engaging with existence multiple equally legitimate values, but also diverse ethical perspectives underpinning conceptions right and wrong actions. However, western monist positions have mostly explicitly or implicitly directed conservation strategies by defining space arguments, overlooking solutions that do not fit neatly chosen approaches. As ignoring leads to injustices reduces potential conserving biodiversity, there is a need recognise navigate landscape. Ethical pluralism may provide opportunities so. underpinnings been fully considered in conservation. In this article, we elaborate meaning, importance limits while highlighting challenges position entail science practice. We argue allows recognising only incommensurable plural moral conflicts should embrace intra inter-cultural criticism legitimacy agonism dissent, as opposed monistic relativistic conclude discussing how grounding environmental justice pragmatism contribute navigating landscape Particularly, highlight to: i) promote (non-anthropocentrically understood) recognition and, ii) move beyond theoretical debates seeking single best theory focus on diversity common source possible solutions. • Multiple underpin perceptions problems. Ignoring for provides monism relativism. propose pluralist approach landscapes A be grounded pragmatism.