How Conservation can scale-up behaviour change
From ecosystems to wildlife, conservation success depends on human behaviours. But shifting people’s choices to behave in a way that protects nature remains one of the sector’s biggest challenges. A new article co-authored by Gayle Burgess, TRAFFIC’s Behaviour Change Lead, looks at what’s missing and how to fix it.
“Behaviour change” is the practical application of behavioural science, the evidence-based study of how people behave, make decisions and respond to context, which could include programmes, policies, administrative processes and incentives.
An example of where TRAFFIC has successfully used behaviour change is with local communities in the Kwakachinga Corridor of Tanzania. By working with local groups, such as cooking clubs, radio stations, women’s collectives, and providing them with ideas for using resources sustainably and legally, a significant change in attitudes towards poaching of wild animals has taken place.
Now, Ms Burgess is one of a team of global behaviour change experts who have published a paper in the Stanford Social Innovation Review, examining how behaviour change could be implemented more widely to drive conservation at the scale and speed required by the biodiversity crisis.
The article, “Making Behavioural Science Work for Conservation” co-authored by Philippe M. Bujold, Gayle Burgess, and Lucia A. Reisch, explains that conservation falls short when behavioural science is treated as an add-on, when real-world impacts are not consistently measured, and when the wider context for and systems influencing behaviour are left out of the picture.
Using proven behaviour change techniques could transform the impact of conservation work. We know it is possible to both protect nature as well as meet the needs of people. The challenge is how to embed behaviour change in conservation work so that humans choose to act in a way that respects and protects biodiversity”,
said Ms Burgess.
Drawing on lessons learned from fields such as public health and finance, where behavioural sciences have yielded remarkable results, the authors identify four areas for improvement:
- Embed behaviour change across organisations, so it shapes projects from the start rather than being added late in the process;
- Use shared tools and language, helping practitioners better understand behavioural barriers and compare what works across projects and countries;
- Evaluate real conservation outcomes, not just how activities were completed;
- Address the wider systems shaping behaviour, including policies, markets, and financial incentives that influence individual choices.
These recommendations align closely with TRAFFIC’s approach to tackling illegal wildlife trade, in which behaviour change is applied not only to consumer demand but also to business practices, policy processes, and enforcement practices that enable or discourage wildlife crime.
The authors conclude that, with proven solutions already in hand, the next step is to change how conservation itself operates, so that funding and decisions are driven by what delivers real impact for nature.
Notes:
TRAFFIC is pioneering best practice in social and behavioural sciences along wildlife trade value chains. Through Social and Behaviour Change (SBC) approaches, TRAFFIC builds capacity, develops country-specific guidance, and implements evidence-based interventions to reduce demand for illegal wildlife trade products and promote sustainable trade.
More information at https://www.traffic.org/what-we-do/thematic-issues/behavioural-change/
