Environmental data justice is key for developing more effective area-based conservation approaches

Scientists are divided over how to respond to biodiversity loss, as seen in debates on area-based conservation. These divisions reflect distinct epistemic communities. Conservation scientists prioritize biodiversity and habitat integrity; land systems scientists focus on land-use dynamics in interconnected socio-ecological systems; and political ecologists examine power relations and social implications of protected areas. Despite different emphases, all share concerns for both biodiversity loss and social equity, though they assign different weights to these priorities. This Perspective brings together authors from these three communities along with a fourth—environmental data justice scholars. We argue that disagreements among them can become constructive by applying frameworks from environmental data justice, which will help researchers and practitioners develop more effective interventions to achieve the underlying goals of area-based conservation.