Nature conservation and its bedfellows: The politics of preserving nature

Scientific understanding of the natural world provides a basis for environmental policies around the world. Science, however, describes the way the world works, rather than prescribing what humans should do. Environmental policies arise from human interests and values, rather than from science itself. The diversity of human interests and values means that environmental policies are often a matter of political contestation. In this contestation, unexpected coalitions of interest sometimes arise. This chapter examines policies relating to nature conservation, with special attention to Indonesia, to demonstrate the diverse range of interests and values that can sometimes coalesce over specific environmental issues.