Integrating the Diverse Values of Nature Into Environmental Law and Policy: Insights From Scottish Peatland Restoration

ABSTRACT This paper aims to arrive at a better understanding of the integration of the diverse values of nature (instrumental, intrinsic, relational) into (environmental) law and policy, using peatland restoration in Scotland as a case study. It argues that adopting a pluri‐value approach is a useful tool for both the design and implementation of environmental law and policy. It can lead to a better understanding of which policy interventions are needed (framing) and enhance the implementation of environmental policy, by enabling fuller consideration of trade‐offs, contributing to a broader understanding of nature and improving early engagement by affected/interested parties. The paper first explores the pluri‐value approach as presented by the Intergovernmental Science‐Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services. This serves as the background for the Scottish case study, which combines a review of scientific literature on peatland values, public survey data on perceptions of Scottish peatlands, and a documentary analysis of three key policy instruments. The findings reveal a discrepancy between the broad range of values attributed to peatlands by the public and the instrumental values, in particular climate‐related ecosystem services and economic opportunities, that are currently being emphasised in peatland restoration policy. This narrow framing risks overlooking key socio‐cultural drivers of degradation and constrains the effectiveness and legitimacy of restoration efforts. In this context, the establishment of partnerships is proposed as a mechanism to embed diverse values in decision‐making, establish long‐term collaboration among diverse interested/affected parties, foster peer‐learning and challenge persistent unsustainable narratives.