ETHAS: Exploring Ethical Responsibility in Conservation Contexts

Reaching ethically responsible decisions in conservation is essential both from an ethical standpoint and for the long-term success of conservation projects. This talk discusses ETHAS, a self-assessment tool designed to support the evaluation of practices and procedures related to biodiversity conservation. ETHAS provides a framework through which scientists, practitioners, and other stakeholders can examine and compare their aims, methods, and decisions from an ethical point of view. Its applications range from the use of biotechnologies in conservation and biobanking to in situ and ex situ fieldwork, as well as research involving collections and ancient DNA. Its core structure includes several ethical dimensions that concern not only biodiversity itself but also human and non-human animals involved in conservation contexts. In the talk, we focus on how this multidimensional framework can be adapted to participatory settings, encouraging dialogue among diverse actors and fostering shared understanding of ethical responsibilities. By making explicit the assumptions, priorities, and potential conflicts embedded in conservation decisions, ETHAS allows participants to reflect on both immediate actions and long-term implications, cultivating greater awareness of the ethical stakes involved. This participatory reflection not only helps clarify responsibilities but also enables more considered and deliberate decision-making, bridging gaps between scientific objectives and societal expectations. The analysis contributes to a broader philosophical question: how ethical reasoning can guide the choice of means in complex conservation scenarios without reducing biodiversity to a single hierarchy of priorities. By encouraging collective reflection on the ethical assumptions embedded in conservation practice, ETHAS helps reveal how biodiversity is interpreted, prioritised, and acted upon. In doing so, it supports transformative approaches to conservation practice, fostering changes in behavior, planning, and policy that are more ethically informed and responsive to plural values. This framework illustrates how integrating ethical reflection into everyday practice can create conditions for both scientific and societal transformation, advancing conservation in ways that are thoughtful, participatory, and attuned to the multiple dimensions of value inherent in biodiversity.