Biodiversity, the foundation of our ecosystem that provides us with food, energy, medicines and materials, is facing unprecedented changes. There has been a significant loss of nature over the past 50 years, with 75 % of land and 66 % of ocean areas have been significantly altered, and more than 85% of wetlands have disappeared. These changes have led to a significant loss of biodiversity, with an ever-increasing number of plant and animal species facing extinction. Five major threats to biodiversity – changes in land and sea use, direct use of organisms, climate change, pollution and invasion of alien species – are explicitly linked to human behavior.

Despite the clear link between human activities and biodiversity loss, there are behavioral sciences surprisingly underrepresented in conservation literatureThis limits the effectiveness of interventions aimed at sustainable behavior change. It is this gap that a comprehensive literature review titled "The Behaviour-Biodiversity Nexus: A Comprehensive Literature Review", prepared by K. Mitev and M. Dupoux in 2025 for the Publications Office of the European Union.

Objectives and scope studies

The aim of this systematic literature review study is to explore and identify ways in which knowledge from behavioral sciences (behavioral knowledge) effectively incorporated into policy-making that is not only well-informed and effective, but also flexible and responsive to the nature of human behaviour. The study is part of a wider European Commission project that seeks to align the behavioural sciences research agenda with future biodiversity policy-making. Its findings are intended to inform The EU Biodiversity Strategy to 2030 and the Nature Restoration Law.

The study explores the application of behavioral sciences across the biodiversity field, including conservation, restoration, and policymaking, taking into account diverse groups of actors such as farmers, fishermen, businesses and citizens. During the literature search, 11,070 documents were identified, of which 154 were selected for detailed analysis. Most of them were published after 2014, indicating novelty of the topic.

Key findings and actors

The review identified that Tailor-made interventions for specific stakeholder groups, especially farmers and citizens, show promising results when combine financial incentives with behavioral nudges and social norms.

1. Farmers and biodiversity: This group of stakeholders has received the most attention in the literature. Positive perceptions of the impacts of nature conservation, higher levels of education, social and personal motivations, and environmental awareness increase the likelihood that farmers will implement pro-biodiversity practices. Social norms and peer influence also play an important role. Among main barriers include lack of awareness, economic and time costs, program complexity, and bureaucracy. Effective interventions include personalized messages, empathetic cues, and combined incentives.
2. Citizens and biodiversity: Motivators of citizen engagement include connection with nature (especially childhood experiences), intrinsic motivations (joy, learning, aesthetic satisfaction), social norms, and effective communication. Barriers are knowledge gaps, perceived ineffectiveness of individual actions, and time constraints. Visits to zoos and aquariums can positively influence knowledge and attitudes, but education alone is not sufficient to promote behavior change.
3. Experts and academia: The study calls for stronger integration of behavioral sciences in biodiversity conservation efforts and emphasizes the need to involve social scientists and public health experts. It suggests a shift from individual-focused interventions to system changes, which address structural barriers such as environmentally damaging subsidies, corporate interests and poor governance.

Challenges and future directions

The study revealed geographical gaps, with Latin America and Africa being significantly underrepresented. There is also lack of long-term studies on the sustainability of behavior change. Methodological gaps include a strong emphasis on quantitative data, a reliance on self-reported data rather than observed behavior, and the short-term focus of most studies. To increase effectiveness, it is necessary combine behavioral tools with traditional policies, such as financial incentives or regulatory measures.

In conclusion, the review highlights that behavioural sciences can play a significant role in biodiversity conservation. However, there is a need to bridge existing gaps through interdisciplinary approaches, robust methodologies and long-term datato ensure the reliability and applicability of research findings. Such a shift is essential to more effectively address complex threats to biodiversity. JRi