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Biodiversity

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Encyclopedia of Global Bioethics

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Abstract

It is certain that the human species has to accept sharing the Earth and its ecosystem not only with other humans but also with other living beings. Human activities can cause irreversible changes that harm this ecosystem. Human activities, justifiable as they may be for survival or development of one group, when harmful can lead to excesses, neglecting duties to other people or other species as well as the environment. Interdependence of humans and other living beings must be addressed for the survival of all species. The human species, having a predominant position within the biosphere, has a duty to care for the Earth and its biosphere, not as its owner but rather as its manager; this means not considering only producing immediate gains but also sustaining the vital interests of our species, in present and future generations. Solutions that balance immediate- and long-term benefits may be found using a global perspective, taking account of all interlinked parameters in the world system: economic growth, consumption patterns, lifestyles, scientific and technological progress, and above all justice and equity. This necessitates addressing problems in the framework of international cooperation, in the spirit of universal solidarity. There are therefore multiple ethical aspects to biodiversity.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Chief of Department of Surgery, University Hospital Centre of Mbandaka, Mbandaka, Equateur, Democratic Republic of the Congo

    Evariste B. Likinda

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  1. Evariste B. Likinda
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Correspondence to Evariste B. Likinda .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Duquesne University Center for Healthcare Ethics, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA

    Henk ten Have

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© 2015 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht

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Likinda, E.B. (2015). Biodiversity. In: ten Have, H. (eds) Encyclopedia of Global Bioethics. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-05544-2_42-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-05544-2_42-1

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-05544-2

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