A new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences reveals that organized civil society and social mobilization are key, yet often unrecognized, agents of global biodiversity conservation. By analyzing a global dataset of 2,801 socio-environmental mobilizations from the Environmental Justice Atlas (EJAtlas), the research identifies that local struggles against polluting industries are critical for protecting the planet's most sensitive, biodiverse regions.
Scheidel, Arnim et al, Social movements are transformative agents for biodiversity conservation, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2026). DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2513327123. doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2513327123
