Towards an Explicit Justice Framing of the Social Impacts of Conservation

Biodiversity conservation efforts, particularly in impoverished and socially marginalized contexts, can benefit from a more explicit assessment of environmental justice outcomes. This study introduces guidelines for evaluating distribution and recognition justice, which cannot be traded off against each other due to their non-equivalence. Applying these guidelines to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Uganda, the research identifies significant social impacts of conservation, such as the long-term impoverishment and domination of the indigenous Batwa people. The study suggests that incorporating environmental justice assessments can provide constructive insights for aligning conservation practices with justice needs.

Martin, A., Akol, A., & Gross-Camp, N. (2015). Towards an Explicit Justice Framing of the Social Impacts of Conservation. Conservation and Society, 13(2), 166. https://doi.org/10.4103/0972-4923.164200