DRAGONS: Diffusing biodiversity Response-able Action and awareness raising through citizen empowerment, inclusive engagement and innovative GOvernance of Nature and Society

Despite widespread awareness of biodiversity, meaningful action remains limited due to psychological, emotional, and structural barriers. DRAGONS addresses this ecological paradox by overcoming Dragons of Inaction – multidimensional barriers that constrain engagement – while strategically diffusing solutions across scales and sectors. The project develops and tests biodiversity innovations through five Biodiversity Engagement Domains: rural restoration (Finland), nature-inclusive movements (Netherlands), urban governance (UK), wetland transformation (Colombia), and forest management (Spain). This diversity enables robust testing and strategic diffusion across socio-ecological contexts. We integrate behavioural science, environmental justice, and social innovation to co-create transformative interventions that diffuse through champion networks. The methodology progresses through understanding societal perceptions, co-designing solutions with learning communities, implementing interventions, and establishing mechanisms for scaling impact. Key innovations include the LANTERN (a reflective toolkit for emotional awareness and narrative exploration) and COMPASS (a strategic guide for inclusive governance and citizen participation), emotionally resonant communication strategies, and multi-level champion networks enabling cross-scale diffusion. Biodiversity is framed as a solution to societal challenges such as health, equity, and climate resilience. DRAGONS addresses polarisation and empowers inclusive policymaking, contributing to the EU Biodiversity Strategy 2030, the EU Nature Restoration Law, and broader efforts to embed nature restoration into democratic governance and climate adaptation. It creates pathways for citizen engagement that are emotionally grounded, socially inclusive, and structurally supported.