Social movements are transformative agents for biodiversity conservation
Walter, Mariana (Institut Barcelona d'Estudis Internacionals)
Scheidel, Arnim (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia Ambientals)
Vadez, Clara (University of Cambridge)
Del Bene, Daniela (Università Ca' Foscari Venezia)
Temper, Leah (Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment)
Fanari, Eleonora (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia Ambientals)
Reyes-García, Victoria (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Departament d'Antropologia Social i Cultural)

Data:	2026
Resum:	Civil society has long been a catalyst for social change by reshaping structures, influencing values, and challenging power dynamics; however, its role in driving transformative change for biodiversity remains underexplored. To address this gap, we analyze 2,801 socio-environmental mobilizations documented in the Environmental Justice Atlas (EJAtlas). These mobilizations produce diverse outcomes that reveal distinct spatial, temporal, and sectoral patterns and proactively and reactively respond to environmental impacts across the globe. Notably, about 40% of these mobilizations occur within the top 30% of global priority lands for species conservation and their actions contribute to the achievement of key Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework targets focused on ecosystem protection, restoration, sustainable use, and inclusive spatial planning. Yet, one-third of mobilizations face repression, criminalization, or violence-pressures that are even more common in high-priority conservation areas. Moreover, mobilizations facing repressive outcomes contest environmental threats relevant for the KMGBF targets more extensively than those with progressive outcomes, underscoring the risks faced by movements driving biodiversity protection in critical regions. To amplify the transformative potential of socio-environmental mobilizations, we emphasize the importance of recognizing, strengthening, and protecting them through coordinated action among diverse social actors. By fostering collaboration and targeted resource allocation, these efforts can empower socio-environmental mobilizations to catalyze meaningful and lasting change for biodiversity conservation.
Ajuts:	Agencia Estatal de Investigación RYC2020-029088-I Agencia Estatal de Investigación RYC2022-037653-I European Commission 771056 Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades CEX2024-001506-M
Nota:	Unidad de excelencia María de Maeztu CEX2024-001506-M
Drets:	Aquest document està subjecte a una llicència d'ús Creative Commons. Es permet la reproducció total o parcial, la distribució, i la comunicació pública de l'obra, sempre que no sigui amb finalitats comercials, i sempre que es reconegui l'autoria de l'obra original. No es permet la creació d'obres derivades.
Llengua:	Anglès
Document:	Article ; recerca ; Versió publicada
Matèria:	Biodiversity conservation ; Environmental justice ; Social movements ; Transformative change ; SDG 16 - Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
Publicat a:	Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, Vol. 123, Num. 4 (2026) , art. e2513327123, ISSN 1091-6490

DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2513327123
PMID: 41576077

10 p, 5.1 MB

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