Mainstreaming the animal in biodiversity governance: Broadening the moral and legal community to nonhumans

Abstract

This chapter argues that transformative biodiversity governance requires mainstreaming the interests of the individual animal. Applying an integrative governance perspective, we bring together debates from animal and biodiversity governance systems through a literature review and document analysis on animal rights and welfare, rights of nature (Earth jurisprudence), One Health and One Welfare, and compassionate conservation. We show, especially through rights-based approaches, that moral and legal communities are expanding beyond humans to include nature and non-human animals. Since Earth jurisprudence does not explicitly recognize the interests of the individual animal, and the animal rights discourse does not include flora or natural objects, both approaches are necessary to complete the shift from dominant anthropocentric ontologies to a more holistic and ecocentric approach that includes recognition of individual animals. Such a shift is vital to enact the transformative change required for a biodiversity governance model in which justice between species is integral.