Distanciation: a key challenge for 21st Century conservation

It can be observed that, when faced with news of environmental crises such as the impacts of climate change, many people increasingly express detachment or even denial. Given the fundamental importance of public participation in conservation action, it is clearly important to understand how this situation arose and how it might be improved. Here, we argue that growing disconnection (distanciation) from the fate of the natural world can be conceptualized as a cyclical process whereby environmental crises —as represented by the media— causes despair and denial, limiting participation in societal-level conservation interventions and decreasing the effectiveness of conservation actions. We propose a strategy to reduce and possibly reverse distanciation, focusing on biodiversity responses to climate change. In doing so we hope to raise awareness about the undesirable (and unintended) consequences of promoting biodiversity conservation through emphasizing negative outcomes, thereby altering perceptions about the current state and future of wild nature and jeopardizing the capacity of individuals to influence outcomes.