From Environmental Ethics to Nature Conservation Policy: Natura 2000 and the Burden of Proof

Journal of Agricultural and Environmental Ethics (2005) 18:107130 Springer 2005

DOI 10.1007/s10806-005-0634-2HUMBERTO D. ROSA and JORGE MARQUES DA SILVAFROM ENVIRONMENTAL ETHICS TO NATURE CONSERVATIONPOLICY: NATURA 2000 AND THE BURDEN OF PROOF(Accepted in revised form July 28, 2004)ABSTRACT. Natura 2000 is a network of natural sites whose aim is to preserve

species and habitats of relevance in the European Union. The policy underlying

Natura 2000 has faced widespread opposition from land users and received extensive

support from environmentalists. This paper addresses the ethical framework for

Natura 2000 and the probable moral assumptions of its main stakeholders. Arguments for and against Natura 2000 were analyzed and classied according to

strong or weak versions of the three main theories of environmental ethics

anthropocentrism, biocentrism, and ecocentrism. Weak (intergenerational) anthropocentrism was found to underlie the Natura 2000 network itself and the positions of

environmentalists, while strong (traditional) anthropocentrism pervaded the positions of economic developers. Land users seemed to fall somewhere between weak

and strong anthropocentrism. The paper discusses the relation between ethics and

dierent attitudes towards Natura 2000, highlighting some of the implications for the

networks ongoing implementation. It is shown that Natura 2000 achieves a strong

reversal of the burden of proof from conservation to economic development and

land use change under anthropocentrism. It is argued that the alleged theoretical

divide between anthropocentrism and non-anthropocentrism in relation to the

burden of proof does not seem to hold in practice. Finally, it is predicted that the

weak versions of anthropocentrism, biocentrism, and ecocentrism, are likely to

converge extensively in respect to nature conservation policy measures.KEY WORDS: anthropocentrism, biocentrism, burden of proof, convergence,

ecocentrism, environmental ethics, Natura 2000 network, nature conservation policyCharting the depths of law and policy disputes yield an understanding of ethical dierences.Paul B. Thompson (2002, p. 189).1. INTRODUCTIONNatura 2000 is a network of natural sites within the European Union whoseaim is to preserve some of the most representative habitats and species ofEuropes fauna and ora. The Natura 2000 network was dened by the 1992Habitats Directive (European Council, 1992), which identies around 200habitats, 200 animal species, and over 500 plant species requiring specialprotection within special areas of conservation. The network also embraces108H.D. ROSA AND J.M. DA SILVAthe conservation areas for birds chosen for designation under the 1979Wild Birds...