Why the lagoon matters to its inhabitants? Exploring plural values and ecosystem services perceptions in the Venice lagoon, Italy

Climate change and biodiversity crises are rooted in the narrow set of utilitarian values that dominate contemporary policymaking. Recognizing the plurality of nature's values is therefore essential to enable transformative change towards sustainability. This work explores ecosystem services (ES) perceptions and plural values of nature (intrinsic, instrumental and relational values) held by the inhabitants of the Venice lagoon, Italy. An online survey yielded 965 complete responses from inhabitants across the lagoon system. Cluster analysis of ES perceptions partitioned the sample into four clusters. Two clusters reflected high awareness of nature's importance but through different pathways: one recognized the importance of all ES and their underpinning ecological structures and functions, and was associated with frequent experiences in the lagoon; the other prioritized ecological structures, functions and regulating ES, and was associated with less frequent lagoon visitation and with the prioritization of intrinsic values. The two remaining clusters showed progressively lower awareness of nature's importance. Analysis of plural values revealed two key insights. First, individuals in the high-awareness clusters expressed significantly greater diversity of values. Second, relational values were the most frequently expressed across all clusters, acting as a shared denominator within the local population. Gender differences also emerged: women were more likely to express a higher diversity of values and to attribute high importance to all ES. Taken together, these findings provide a knowledge base for recognizing and embracing the plurality of perspectives and nature's values held by the lagoon community, and point to several leverage points for sustainability transformation, namely: recognizing the important role of population segments holding a high diversity of values, acknowledging the centrality of relational values to the whole population, mobilizing plural valuation to reconnect people and nature, and promoting gender equality to support the inclusion of plural values of nature in decision-making.