The headlines tell us of planetary catastrophes, irreversible tipping points, ecological doom. Species numbers are declining, some destined to never be seen again. Is there no reprieve from a dystopian environmental future? Is this true, and are these apocalyptic claims helpful?

Each year, approximately $140 billion is spent globally on conservation—a sum comparable to the annual resources of the U.S. Energy Department. Yet, for all that money, the public messaging around saving animal species and habitats is almost entirely dire. The sky is only ever falling, species declining, and the world spiraling into disaster.

The headlines tell us of planetary catastrophes, irreversible tipping points, ecological doom. Species numbers are declining, some destined to never be seen again. Is there no reprieve from a dystopian environmental future? Is this true, and are these apocalyptic claims helpful?

Each year, approximately $140 billion is spent globally on conservation—a sum comparable to the annual resources of the U.S. Energy Department. Yet, for all that money, the public messaging around saving animal species and habitats is almost entirely dire. The sky is only ever falling, species declining, and the world spiraling into disaster.

Both of us are experienced scientists who have long worked in conservation. Although biodiversity loss is real and serious, the data do not support alarmist claims of global, catastrophic wildlife collapse and imminent ecological tipping points. Worse, they distract from practical, evidence-based conservation action.

In response to the largest meeting of conservation scientists in Cali, Colombia, in late 2024, under the auspices of the United Nations’ Convention on Biological Diversity, we reviewed scientists’ understanding of global efforts to stem biodiversity loss. Our work, published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society, recognizes that, while there are gaps in our knowledge of biodiversity loss, conservation has prevented many extinctions and allowed some once-declining species to flourish. Moreover, international efforts are protecting ever-larger swathes of the planet—and doing so in sensibly chosen and important locations.

Based on this and our recent work, we find a disconnect between unsupported claims of planetary doom and carefully documented evidence of conservation’s successes and failures.

We do not arrive at this perspective lightly or naively. Our collective decades-long work for NGOs, governmental agencies, and research universities has and remains focused intently on successful animal and plant conservation science, policy, and global public support.

There are good news stories to tell: In critically surveying progress over the last 25 years, we see that conservation efforts have prevented extinctions, enabled some once-declining species to recover and flourish, and protected ever-greater areas of the planet, both on land and in the ocean. These are measurable, successful actions that should be........

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