Identifying Major Factors for Success and Failure of Conservation Programs in Europe

Area of Science:

• Conservation Science
• Environmental Policy
• Ecology

Background:

• European biodiversity conservation programs exhibit inconsistent success rates across diverse ecosystems and nations.
• A comprehensive synthesis of factors influencing these programs, including incentives, subsidies, enforcement, participation, and spatial context, is lacking.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze and compare factors contributing to the success or failure of European biodiversity conservation programs.
• To identify key drivers and barriers affecting habitat and species conservation initiatives.

Main Methods:

• A balanced scorecard survey was administered to experts to evaluate three distinct conservation programs: Natura 2000, Water Framework Directive ecological measures, and Rewilding Europe.
• Expert perceptions were analyzed to compare the effectiveness of governmental and non-governmental organization (NGO) conservation approaches.

Main Results:

• The non-governmental organization (NGO) program (Rewilding Europe) was perceived as more successful in achieving biodiversity aims than governmental legislation (Natura 2000, Water Framework Directive).
• Biodiversity-damaging subsidies, competing economic interests, and conflicting policies were identified as significant barriers to conservation success.
• Societal outreach, public awareness, and stakeholder involvement were strongly correlated with program success.

Conclusions:

• External economic and policy factors frequently impede conservation program effectiveness, whereas societal and environmental factors tend to facilitate it.
• Conservation initiatives should prioritize inclusivity and consider indirect drivers from economic, policy, and societal domains.
• The study provides a foundation for developing standardized methodologies to assess conservation program success, incorporating indirect drivers.