{"id":784,"date":"2021-03-01T08:06:46","date_gmt":"2021-03-01T08:06:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.science4wildlife.com\/?p=784"},"modified":"2021-03-01T08:09:58","modified_gmt":"2021-03-01T08:09:58","slug":"the-necessity-of-behavior-change-to-reach-goals-in-nature-conservation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.science4wildlife.com\/index.php\/2021\/03\/01\/the-necessity-of-behavior-change-to-reach-goals-in-nature-conservation\/","title":{"rendered":"The necessity of behavior change to reach goals in nature conservation"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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In his 93 years, the famous British naturalist David Attenborough has visited almost every place on earth, exploring the wild pristine nature, telling fascinating stories. \u201cA life on our planet\u201d, is his latest documentary, where he reflects on his life looking back at defining moments and the changes he has seen in nature and the wildlife through the years. Talking to policymakers and economists at the World Economic Forum 2020, he repeated  a warning: if continuing maintaining the lifestyle that we have, we face species extinction and a severe biodiversity loss.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The images of his last documentary are beautiful and shocking at the\nsame time! It moves emotions and triggers the intention to change our lifestyle\ntowards \u201ca better one\u201d\u2026, but then, we forgot after two days. And what about politicians\nand policymakers – What happens after speeches like the one from David\nAttenborough?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For over 50 years, global environmental policies have not been successful\nto prevent biodiversity loss, and safeguard ecosystem functions and services 1<\/sup>. However, the failure to halt biodiversity\nloss is not only due to missing global and national policies. Failure also is\nthe result of a lack of specific indicators and intervention actions that\ndirectly address the drivers of change and lead to actions 2<\/sup>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The responsibility of the\nindividual<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our individual behavior is responsible for most of the environmental problems\nand biodiversity conservation challenges2,3<\/sup>. The accumulation of individual effects and\ncollective decisions such as consumption behavior and lifestyle have a major\nnegative impact on biodiversity and ecosystems. Thus, visions for halting biodiversity\nloss and\neffective nature conservation actions should focus on integrating behavioral\nchange theories.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the biggest drivers of biodiversity loss is the consumption of\nanimal-sourced food which directly affect the conservation of terrestrial\necosystems 4<\/sup>. Livestock production is the largest driver of\nhabitat loss by increasing agricultural areas mostly in tropical areas within\nbiodiversity hotspots.  To reduce the\nimpacts of animal product consumption while meeting the need to feed a world\ngrowing population several propositions are recognized to be necessary. 1) Reduce\nthe demand for animal-based food products, 2) increase proportions of plant-based\nfoods in diets, 3) replacing ecologically inefficient ruminants (e.g. cattle,\nsheep) with monogastrics (e.g poultry), 4) integrate aquaculture or more\nefficient protein sources and 5) changing intensive, fossil fuel-based systems\ninto diverse coupled systems that conserve energy and nutrients4<\/sup>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While some of these decisions are in the hands of policymakers, others\nare in the hands of the individual that contribute to negative impacts by his\nconsumption behavior. However, to change a behavior is challenging and more\ncomplex than making a resolution become reality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When discussing our behavior and behavior change, it is worth looking at\na theory from the field of psychology: The theory of the default bias (or\nstatus quo bias) is defined as the phenomenon that humans have a non-rational\npreference for the status quo, basically, doing nothing or not choosing as a\nvalid choice 5<\/sup>. Even facing very simple choices, at our daily\nlife, such as too many varieties of cereals in the supermarket, the one we buy\nis what we always have done rather than trying something new. One explanation\nis that a status quo is attributed to a natural fear of change and alternatives\nare uncertain, costly and in need to be discovered. However, changes happen all\nthe time and humans learnt to adapt to them. Therefore, to embrace a change e.g.\ntowards our buying more sustainable products, would needs some prerequisites.\nWe must not let the comfortable attachments to the norm prevent us  from changing5<\/sup>. Then, what are the tools that could support\nus in making decisions, when we do not manage to take them alone?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Behavior Change Wheel<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Behavior Change Wheel by Michie et al. 2011<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In the past, behavior change models were applied mainly in the field of\npsychology, public health or social studies to improve health and environmental\nconditions 6\u20138<\/sup>. But behavioral science has been rarely used\nin conservation research2<\/sup>. The Behavior Change Wheel (BCW)9<\/sup> is a model that was developed to characterize\nbehavior change interventions. In the BCW, three systems interact with each\nother and together generate the sources of behavior change: capability,\nopportunity and motivation. Thereby capability is the individuals psychological\nand physic capacity, including knowledge and skills to engage in an activity.\nMotivation is the brain processes that energize our direct behavior, including\nhabitual processes, emotional responding and analytical decisions. Last,\nopportunity defines all the factors that lie outside the individual, making a\nbehavior possible or prompt it. Intervention actions surround the core of the\nbehavior system. Any intervention could possibly change one or more behavior\nchange functions. Policy interventions build the outer layer and surround the interventions\nand the systems that create our behavior. A given policy can only influence the\nindividuals\u2019 behavior through the interventions that they enable or support. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Assuming that solutions for conserving biodiversity lie in the change of people\u2019s behavior, a recent study2<\/sup>  applied the BCW using pollinator conservation as a case study. In their gap analysis, they classified conservation actions listed in national pollinator initiatives in relation to intervention functions and policy categories of the BCW. They found 41% of all pollinator conservation actions failed on identifying and understanding whose behavior to be changed and on which interventions set the focus to maximize conservation. Most national biodiversity strategies focused on educational and structural measures, but these interventions alone are not enough effective to change environmental behavior. Authors suggest10<\/sup> that it would be more effective to put a visible label for supply chains and producer principles to encourage people to buy organic and pollinator-friendly products 10<\/sup>. Other efficient interventions that leading to rapid behavior change are stronger financial incentives for sustainable farming and the introduction of taxes or additional costs on products to make them undesirable10<\/sup>. Researchers identified solutions to decrease foods environmental impacts throughout both producers and consumers11<\/sup>. The approach requires enabling the producers to monitor their own environmental impacts and flexibly meet environmental targets set by policy makers. The impact of the production would then be communicated up the supply chain to the end consumer of the product, e.g. with a label11<\/sup>. Such labels then possibly support us to overcome our default bias and make us choose more sustainable products.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Looking back at David Attenborough\u2019s documentaries, we realize that\nmitigation against loss of biodiversity not only needs policymakers but also lies\nin every individual’s hands. To halt biodiversity loss conservation actions\nurgently should implement effective human behavior change theories2<\/sup>. The resulting interventions could support the\nindividual choices towards \u201cthe best\u201d, which is urgent \u201cthe more sustainable\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Literature:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

1.           Intergovernmental Science-Policy\nPlatform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, I. Summary for policymakers\nof the global assessment report on biodiversity and ecosystem services<\/em>.\nhttps:\/\/zenodo.org\/record\/3553579#.YBet43ko_b0 (2019)\ndoi:10.5281\/zenodo.3553579.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2.           Marselle, M. R., Turbe, A., Shwartz,\nA., Bonn, A. & Coll\u00e9ony, A. Addressing behavior in pollinator conservation\npolicies to combat the implementation gap. Conservation Biology<\/em> n\/a<\/strong>,\n(2020).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3.           Byerly, H. et al.<\/em> Nudging\npro-environmental behavior: evidence and opportunities. Frontiers in Ecology\nand the Environment<\/em> 16<\/strong>, 159\u2013168 (2018).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4.           Machovina, B., Feeley, K. J. &\nRipple, W. J. Biodiversity conservation: The key is reducing meat consumption. Science\nof The Total Environment<\/em> 536<\/strong>, 419\u2013431 (2015).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

5.           Tantram, J. Sustainable futures and\nthe status quo bias. the Guardian<\/em>\nhttp:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/sustainable-business\/sustainable-futures-status-quo-bias\n(2013).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

6.           Contzen, N. & Mosler, H.-J. The\nRANAS approach to systematic behavior change. 14.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

7.           Chiang, N., Guo, M., Amico, K. R.,\nAtkins, L. & Lester, R. T. Interactive Two-Way mHealth Interventions for\nImproving Medication Adherence: An Evaluation Using The Behaviour Change Wheel\nFramework. JMIR mHealth and uHealth<\/em> 6<\/strong>, e9187 (2018).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

8.           Slekiene, J. & Mosler, H.-J. The\nlink between mental health and safe drinking water behaviors in a vulnerable\npopulation in rural Malawi. BMC Psychology<\/em> 7<\/strong>, 44 (2019).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

9.           Michie, S., van Stralen, M. M. &\nWest, R. The behaviour change wheel: A new method for characterising and\ndesigning behaviour change interventions. Implementation Science<\/em> 6<\/strong>,\n42 (2011).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

10.         Nature conservation policy rarely\nchanges people\u2019s behavior. ScienceDaily<\/em>\nhttps:\/\/www.sciencedaily.com\/releases\/2020\/09\/200901112224.htm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

11.         Poore, J. & Nemecek, T. Reducing food\u2019s environmental impacts through producers and consumers. Science<\/em> 360<\/strong>, 987\u2013992 (2018).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cover picture: <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Available at: <\/a>https:\/\/www.onegreenplanet.org\/animalsandnature\/beef-production-is-killing-the-amazon-rainforest\/<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In his 93 years, the famous British naturalist David Attenborough has visited almost every place on earth, exploring the wild pristine nature, telling fascinating stories. \u201cA life on our planet\u201d, is his latest documentary, where he reflects on his life looking back at defining moments and the changes he has seen in nature and the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-784","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-blog"],"rttpg_featured_image_url":null,"rttpg_author":{"display_name":"Kathrin Holenstein","author_link":"https:\/\/www.science4wildlife.com\/index.php\/author\/kathrin\/"},"rttpg_comment":0,"rttpg_category":"Blog<\/a>","rttpg_excerpt":"In his 93 years, the famous British naturalist David Attenborough has visited almost every place on earth, exploring the wild pristine nature, telling fascinating stories. \u201cA life on our planet\u201d, is his latest documentary, where he reflects on his life looking back at defining moments and the changes he has seen in nature and the…","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.science4wildlife.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/784","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.science4wildlife.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.science4wildlife.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.science4wildlife.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/13"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.science4wildlife.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=784"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.science4wildlife.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/784\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":790,"href":"https:\/\/www.science4wildlife.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/784\/revisions\/790"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.science4wildlife.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=784"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.science4wildlife.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=784"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.science4wildlife.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=784"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}