Unveiling pervasive assumptions: moving beyond the poverty-biodiversity loss association in conservation
This paper reflects on the continued persistence of the idea in conservation research and practice that poverty drives biodiversity loss (the poverty-biodiversity loss association [PBLA]). We draw on evidence to show how the PBLA has proven resistant to counter-evidence and is particularly visible at local-level implementation, and is often implicit in conservation strategies. We untangle three underlying reasons that help to explain why the PBLA has persisted under a verisimilitude (seeming truth) that can leave it hiding in plain sight. In doing so, we offer conservation science and practice the means to recognise and thereby remedy this thinking where it exists, and in so doing, advance conservation towards its aims of equitable and effective delivery. We outline how the Connected Conservation model may be better equipped to challenge the disproportionate role of wealth in biodiversity decline whilst empowering biodiversity stewards and their plural knowledge, values and governance systems.
Authors
- Natalia Estrada-Carmona (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4329-5470)
- Christina C. Hicks (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7399-4603)
- Jos Barlow (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4992-2594)
- Mairon G. Bastos Lima (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4235-8847)
- Esther Turnhout (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2190-2076)
- Unai Pascual (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5696-236X)
- Nathalie Pettorelli (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1594-6208)
- Alexander Charles Lees (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7603-9081)
- James Reed
- Evan Killick (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5206-5450)
- Eric Djomo Nana (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6118-9359)
- Rachel Carmenta (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8607-4147)
- Neil Dawson (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7312-9230)
- Adrian Martin (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2916-7712)
- Bhaskar Vira (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7766-6773)
- Giorgos Kallis (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0688-9552)
- Julie G. Zaehringer (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3253-5128)
- Shofwan Al Banna Choiruzzad (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9736-9677)
Institutions
- University of Bern (CH)
- Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ES)
- Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (ES)
- Zoological Society of London (GB)
- University of Sussex (GB)
- University of the Basque Country (ES)
- Agropolis International (FR)
- University of Manchester (GB)
- University of Indonesia (ID)
- Basque Centre for Climate Change (ES)
- Tyndall Centre (GB)
- Conservation Leadership Programme (GB)
- Science Oxford (GB)
- Stockholm Environment Institute (SE)
- Lancaster University (GB)
- Center for International Forestry Research (ID)
- University of Twente (NL)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability
- Published
- 2025-05-08
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cosust.2025.101537
- Citations
- 3
- Primary Topic
- Conservation, Biodiversity, and Resource Management
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 3.32