Resisting conservation backlashes

Abstract

A new political attack on environmental science, exemplified by the Trump administration, is threatening science and conservation efforts. However, this assault is part of a broader global trend, where governments, institutions, and powerful lobbies are systematically undermining research on biodiversity issues and climate change. I argue that this situation is an opportunity to revisit the historical roots of anti-environmental backlashes together with past and present tactics such as delegitimization, misinformation, and corporate influence. This movement has emerged in direct response to the growing mobilization for climate action, biodiversity protection, and environmental justice. In response, a multifaceted resistance should rise, rooted in solidarity-based environmentalism and collective action, along with a deeper integration of values into conservation science.