Work

De-extinction and the risk of moral hazard

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Moral hazard occurs when the presence or promise of a new technology or policy reduces incentives for responsible behaviour, because the consequences of risky behaviour are perceived to be reduced, transferred, or mitigated. Moral hazard risk has been widely empirically investigated in the case of geoengineering for climate change, but other novel technologies have not been subject to such scrutiny. Ever since de-extinction was announced to the public as a viable possibility with modern biotechnology, a series of commentators have argued that the promise of de-extinction will create a moral hazard. The thought is that extinction has been perceived as permanent. Any change in this belief, such as the idea that species can be brought back, potentially undermines the motivation for current conservation efforts. This is an empirical claim that we investigate. Our study assesses the public's support for conservation in scenarios that promise the use of de-extinction to address actions that are likely to cause extinction. We did not find that people were more likely to accept the extinction of a species if its de-extinction was promised in the future. We did, however, find an association between extinction acceptance and judgments that de-extinction could successfully resurrect species. The findings of this study represent a crucial step in assessing the risks novel biotechnology creates. • First empirical research on whether de-extinction can cause a moral hazard. • We find no evidence people accept extinction more readily when de-extinction is promised. • Belief in de-extinction's ability to restore species correlated with acceptance of extinction. • We recommend clearer communication about species identity in developing new technologies.

Source: Biological Conservation

DOI: 10.1016/j.biocon.2025.111637

Authors: Christopher H. Lean, Andrew J. Latham, Annie Sandrussi, Wendy A. Rogers

Institutions: ARC Centre of Excellence in Synthetic Biology, Macquarie University, Aarhus University

Language: English

Topic: Environmental Philosophy and Ethics

Subfield: Nature and Landscape Conservation

Field: Environmental Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $3,830

Funders: Australian Government, Australian Research Council, H2020 Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions, HORIZON EUROPE Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions