Pioneering behavioral science for conservation
Communities around the world are leading efforts to protect nature and strengthen resilience to climate change. But lasting conservation solutions depend on more than science and policy — they depend on people.
Rare applies behavioral and social science, narrative change, and innovation to design solutions that help communities protect ecosystems while strengthening livelihoods, food security, and climate resilience. Through research, practitioner tools, and partnerships with governments, NGOs, funders, communities, and academic institutions, Rare’s behavioral science work is helping shape conservation practice worldwide.
By understanding what drives human behavior —and shifting the norms that shape it — Rare helps conservation solutions take root in communities and spread.
Impact at scale
Rare’s behavioral science and innovation work is helping communities adopt sustainable practices, strengthen conservation leadership, and scale solutions worldwide.
Rare’s work is helping millions of fishers, farmers, and community leaders adopt practices that restore ecosystems while strengthening food security and livelihoods.
Rare has trained conservation practitioners in behavior-centered design, helping scale people-centered conservation solutions worldwide.
Rare’s Entertainment Lab partners with writers and producers to bring climate and conservation stories to global audiences.
How Rare designs solutions that work
Rare combines behavioral science, storytelling, and innovation to design solutions that help communities protect nature and strengthen resilience. This work brings together Rare’s Center for Behavior & the Environment (BE.Center), Entertainment Lab, and global solution development teams.
Together, these capabilities help Rare identify barriers to change, test new approaches with communities, and scale solutions that work.
Rare’s Approach
Rare’s Center for Behavior & the Environment (BE.Center) advances research and tools that help conservation programs apply behavioral science to environmental challenges. By understanding the motivations, norms, and incentives that shape human behavior, we help design solutions that work for communities and ecosystems.
Rare’s Entertainment Lab partners with writers, producers, and storytellers to bring climate and conservation narratives to global audiences. By shifting cultural narratives, the Lab helps inspire action and normalize solutions that protect nature.
Rare designs and tests new approaches that help communities protect ecosystems while strengthening livelihoods. Promising solutions are piloted, refined, and replicated across regions so they can be adopted by governments, NGOs, and communities around the world.
Where we work
Rare works in the world’s most biodiverse and climate-vulnerable geographies, helping identify, test, and scale approaches that strengthen community-led conservation.
Africa
Global Solutions supports Rare’s programs in East and Southern Africa by developing behavioral tools, innovation pilots, and scalable approaches for community-led conservation.
Asia Pacific
Across Southeast Asia and the Pacific, Global Solutions helps advance fisheries management, conservation innovation, and narrative change to support thriving coastal communities.
Latin America
In Latin America, Global Solutions supports programs that strengthen food systems, protect biodiversity, and build climate resilience across coastal and agricultural landscapes.
The Behavior Beat
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Advisory Board
Rare’s behavioral science and innovation work is guided by leading experts in behavioral science, conservation, communications, and social research.
Our advisory board brings together global leaders from academia, media, and environmental practice who help guide the development and application of behavioral insights in conservation.
Our Partners
Rare’s work is made possible by the support of research institutions, storytellers, funders, and partners around the world. Together, we are developing solutions that help communities protect nature and build a more resilient future. Selected partners include:
Contact Us
For more information about Rare’s behavioral science and innovation work, please contact us at behavior@rare.org