Why economics matters for endangered species protection

• Published in: Conservation biology Vol. 13; no. 6; pp. 1257 - 1261
• Main Authors: Shogren, Jason F., Tschirhart, John, Anderson, Terry, Ando, Amy Whritenour, Beissinger, Steven R., Brookshire, David, Brown, Gardner M., Coursey, Don, Innes, Robert, Meyer, Stephen M., Polasky, Stephan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Boston, MA, USA Blackwell Science Inc 01.12.1999; Blackwell Science; Blackwell
• Subjects: Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Applied ecology; Biological and medical sciences; Conservation biology; Conservation policy; Conservation, protection and management of environment and wildlife; economics; Endangered species; Environmental legislation; environmental protection; Essays; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Habitat conservation; Humans; Landowners; Parks, reserves, wildlife conservation. Endangered species: population survey and restocking; Species; Wildlife conservation; Wildlife policy; Status; Economic value; Endangered species; Animal conservation; Risk factor; Anthropogenic factor
• ISSN: 0888-8892; 1523-1739
• DOI: 10.1046/j.1523-1739.1999.98414.x

We offer three reasons why economics matters more to species protection than many people think and what this implies for the ongoing debate over the reauthorization of the Endangered Species Act of 1973. Economics matters because (1) human behavior generally, and economic parameters in particular, help determine the degree of risk to a species; (2) in a world of scarce resources, the opportunity cost of species protection-the costs of reduced resources for other worthwhile causes-must be taken into account in decision making; and (3) economic incentives are critical in shaping human behavior, and consequently the recovery of species. Endangered species protection that explicitly addresses these basic principles can avoid wasting valuable resources that yield no gain in species protection.