ABSTRACT
Conservation practice faces the challenge of protecting biodiversity while promoting human welfare. So far, these two targets have remained differentiated, but now, conservation biologists are pushing a paradigm shift viewing conservation biodiversity in a broader perspective (Mace et al. 2012). Conservation strategies based solely on biodiversity conservation are now being perceived as unrealistic, and their goals unattainable, as shown, for example, by the failure of the European and worldwide 2010 Biodiversity Target. This strategy for halting the decline of biodiversity by the end of 2010 has given way to new, wider targets for 2020 and 2050 (CBD COP 10, 2010), which also include curbing degradation of ecosystem services (ESs) and their adequate evaluation as essential contributions to human welfare. This new conservation goal perspective offers the possibility of contributing to sustainability in the current scenario of global change, while not ignoring human-ecosystem interaction.
