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Bridging the Gap in Biodiversity Policies and Individual Actions
Recent findings from the University of Surrey reveal a significant disconnect between national biodiversity policies and the individual behaviors necessary for effective conservation efforts. The research underscores that a staggering 90% of countries with biodiversity conservation strategies do not outline the specific actions required from individuals or communities, which may partly explain the slow progress towards global conservation targets.
As representatives convene for the United Nations Biodiversity Conference in Cali, Colombia, a study featured in Environmental Science & Policy highlights that only 11% of national biodiversity policies explicitly recognize the importance of individual action in achieving meaningful conservation outcomes. Even more concerning is the fact that just 3% of these policies provide concrete guidance on designing behavioral interventions that cater to motivational factors, such as reflective and automatic motivations.
To enhance the efficacy of biodiversity policies, the researchers advocate for clear specifications regarding the behaviors that need to be altered, the demographics responsible for these changes, and the various influences at play in their decision-making processes. While established behavioral change tools and methodologies exist, they have not been effectively employed to address this crucial aspect of sustainability.
Dr. Melissa Marselle, a co-author of the study, emphasizes, “We have unfortunately cultivated a significant oversight in biodiversity policies. There’s a predominant focus on large-scale actions like resource management, yet we often overlook the everyday behaviors—such as consumption patterns—that contribute to biodiversity decline.”
She adds, “By neglecting to incorporate established behavioral science frameworks, we are forfeiting a vital opportunity to implement more effective biodiversity strategies. Considering that no global biodiversity targets were met in 2020, it is imperative that we change course if we hope to achieve these objectives by the 2030 deadline.”
In their analysis, researchers reviewed 1,306 policies from the National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs) across ten countries, employing the Behaviour Change Wheel model to assess how these policies addressed individual behavior change, pinpointing target behaviors, demographics, intervention types, and policy options relevant to biodiversity conservation.
The study categorizes “individual actors” as those fulfilling roles in various capacities that influence biodiversity.
Dr. Marselle elaborates, “The issue of biodiversity loss is not a remote concern for policymakers; it affects each and every one of us. From the food we consume to the air we breathe, nature underpins our daily existence, and immediate action is needed to safeguard it. Failing to weave behavior change into biodiversity policies threatens further environmental degradation, adversely affecting future generations. Governments must leverage established behavioral science tools, such as the Behaviour Change Wheel, to empower individuals and communities toward making sustainable decisions. The urgency to act has never been greater.”
The Convention on Biological Diversity describes biodiversity as “the variability among living organisms from all sources, including, inter alia, terrestrial, marine, and other aquatic ecosystems, and the ecological complexes of which they are part; this includes diversity within species, between species, and of ecosystems.”
This research project involved collaboration with partners including the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research in Germany, the University of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, Rouen-Normandy University in France, Ecoscope in Israel, and the Centre for Behaviour Change at University College London in England.
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