So what is a songbird worth, really?
[updated to include a link to the paper which is now available online]
If you have ever wondered just what a songbird is worth, really, go read this bird-brained story which is just one of many included in the 19th Edition of the “I and the Bird” blog carnival. Then you might want to dig up one of the classic papers in ecological economics by Silvio Funtowicz and Jerry Ravetz, “The worth of a songbird: ecological economics as a post-normal science” published in the Journal of Ecological Economics (1994 10:3).
A short synopsis:
This paper critiques Nordhaus predictions of the economic impacts of the greenhouse effect. The bottomline is that Nordhaus uses arbitrary guestimates with VERY high uncertainty — with appropriate qualifications, but then implies a high degree of certainty in his policy recommendations — that the burden of proof for quantifying economic costs of avoiding damages should be on those who would impose the costs. It is bad methodology to have more certainty in the recommendations than in the arguments on which they are based. Measurements are not independent of methodology and ethics. Monetary prices are only one aspect of value that reflect commercial market interests–any definition of value defines what is important and real from the perspective of the particular stakeholders. Reduction of goods to commodities reflects power structures, and is one perspective among several. So it is necessary to recognize the plurality of legitimate perspectives and of conflicting interests and power relationships in order to avoid cooptation by one side. The ethical component of science has concerned itself with the process of quality assurance and the product rather than with its use or abuse — this allows scientists to claim credit for benefits and blame society for harm…. Conclusion – “If we care about songbirds as well as other symbols of environmental value, resources will need to be devoted to their protection and choices will need to be made; that is the contribution of the perspective of economics. But the issue is not simply one of allocation. The worth of a songbird definitely has its monetary aspect; but the endangered songbird is not thereby reduced to a commodity, any more than any other exemplification of love. And as the rise of ecological economics has shown, the songbird’s worth also lies in its teaching us about ourselves and what we want to do with our lives while we are here…”
In other words, songbirds are worthless – unless, of course, we value them enough to do what it takes to insure their continued existence. Imagine that! Then go enjoy the blog carnival. Then we can talk about what it will take and how to pay for it….
