Newly published EGE Opinion on Valuing Nature

The European Group on Ethics in Science and New Technologies (EGE) has published a new Opinion, Valuing Nature: Implications for EU Governance. It contributes to ongoing discussions on how the European Union can pursue environmental sustainability while upholding its fundamental values and ensuring that scientific and technological progress serves both people and the planet. Professor Jeroen van den Hoven (TU Delft), member of the EGE, contributed to the development of the Opinion together with the other members of the Group.

The EGE opinion examines how different ways of valuing nature shape policymaking, law, and governance within the European Union. It argues that nature should not be understood only as a resource or provider of ecosystem services. Nature is also fundamental to human health, wellbeing, identity, social cohesion, resilience, and collective life.

The EGE therefore calls for a broader approach to valuing nature that recognises ecological, ethical, social, cultural, and economic considerations in EU decision-making. The Opinion highlights instrumental, intrinsic, and relational ways of valuing nature and argues that no single way of valuing should automatically dominate governance decisions.

Among its recommendations, the EGE calls on EU policymakers to integrate multiple ways of valuing nature more explicitly into policymaking, treat ecological boundaries and risks of irreversible harm as constraints in decision-making, strengthen the representation of ecological concerns, and ensure that economic valuation is applied within clear ethical and ecological conditions. The Opinion also recommends establishing a legally binding right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment within the EU.

The Opinion forms part of the Ethics Advice Mechanism, which provides independent ethical advice and policy recommendations to European institutions on issues where science, technology, and policymaking intersect.

Read the full Opinion here.

Read the summary of key messages here.