Non-use values

{
  "id": "MLC-T-ENV-019069",
  "term": "Non-use values",
  "field": "Environment",
  "definition": "Human preferences for goods or services that are not associated with or derived from direct use or contact with them. For instance, individuals may care about or appreciate EEPs, even if they never directly use or see them - i.e., they may have non-use values for the existence of things like tropical forests or pristine lakes, even if they never visit them. Sometimes referred to as \"passive use value,\" nonuse values are theoretically distinct from \"use values,\" although the boundary between use and nonuse values is not always definitive. Different types of nonuse value include existence value, option value, and bequest value. Context: The recognition that humans enjoy and benefit from ecosystems in ways that do not involve direct use is essential for developing a comprehensive accounting of the total benefits provided by nature. Example: Individuals often value the assurance that threatened and endangered species are being protected, even if they will never see them in the wild, simply because they benefit from knowing that the species exist.",
  "subject": "Ecosystems",
  "references": [
    "National Ecosystem Classification System (NESCS) Plus Glossary"
  ],
  "url": "https://mlchart.com/terminology/environment/non-use-values/"
}