Researchers call on the fragrance industry to move beyond sustainability rhetoric and fund plant conservation
Researchers propose a "conservation-first" model linking commercial perfumery with the conservation of threatened flora
Writing in BioScience, the journal of the American Institute of Biological Sciences, an international team of conservation scientists and biodiversity researchers argue that the global fragrance industry is uniquely positioned to become a genuine partner in stemming the collapse of plant diversity—but only if it moves beyond narrow supply-chain commitments and embeds conservation finance into its core business practices. The article was authored by researchers affiliated with The Red List Project (USA), the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (UK), Brazilian universities including the Federal University of Minas Gerais and the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, and the independent Brazilian asset management firm Fama re.capital, reflecting a transnational collaboration that bridges conservation science and sustainable finance.
The stakes at play, both for industry and the world's flora, are extremely high, say the authors. An estimated 45% of the world's flowering plants (roughly 150,000 species) are at risk of extinction, and the fragrance market, projected to grow from $60.73 billion in 2025 to $101.47 billion by 2034, draws on approximately 2000 plant species for its essential oil supply alone. The authors argue that this dependence on botanical diversity creates both an obligation and an opportunity for the fragrance industry to act. Programs like The Red List Project, they say, provide a working, scalable example of how industry and conservation needs can be met harmoniously for the benefit of industry, nature, and people.
The Red List Project is described as a "conservation-first" model that pairs fragrance manufacturers with local conservation organizations, with the aim of producing marketable products while also supporting local environmental stewards. In these collaborations, industry participants draw creative inspiration from threatened species to create novel fragrance combinations, rather than harvesting the threatened species directly for their aromatic compounds. Proceeds of the fragrances' sales are then directed to the in-country conservation partners. The model "integrates biodiversity objectives directly into fragranced product development, using scent inspiration rather than wild harvesting," the authors write. In addition, the project aims to generate consumer awareness of the specific species and ecosystems being protected and used as product inspiration. Individual projects to date span Brazil's Atlantic Forest, the Ecuadorian Chocó cloud forests, the Caribbean, the Mediterranean Basin, and Micronesia.
The authors are careful to acknowledge that using commerce to fund conservation is an approach that is not without its critics. Seminal scholarship has cautioned against what earlier researchers termed "selling nature to save nature." However, the authors contend that "blanket criticisms of monetization risks may well be stifling responsible efforts to harness private capital" in ways that could advance conservation goals, which have thus far proved difficult to achieve.
Just as important, the authors also see opportunities to foster environmental justice for the Indigenous and local communities who live in biodiverse areas. They propose that benefit sharing in the fragrance sector should encompass "both tangible and intangible returns for Indigenous and local communities" across financial, technological, educational, and cultural dimensions—and they are hopeful that The Red List Project and similar efforts may make this possible.
The article is available open access.
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The stakes at play, both for industry and the world's flora, are extremely high, say the authors. An estimated 45% of the world's flowering plants (roughly 150,000 species) are at risk of extinction, and the fragrance market, projected to grow from $60.73 billion in 2025 to $101.47 billion by 2034, draws on approximately 2000 plant species for its essential oil supply alone. The authors argue that this dependence on botanical diversity creates both an obligation and an opportunity for the fragrance industry to act. Programs like The Red List Project, they say, provide a working, scalable example of how industry and conservation needs can be met harmoniously for the benefit of industry, nature, and people.
The Red List Project is described as a "conservation-first" model that pairs fragrance manufacturers with local conservation organizations, with the aim of producing marketable products while also supporting local environmental stewards. In these collaborations, industry participants draw creative inspiration from threatened species to create novel fragrance combinations, rather than harvesting the threatened species directly for their aromatic compounds. Proceeds of the fragrances' sales are then directed to the in-country conservation partners. The model "integrates biodiversity objectives directly into fragranced product development, using scent inspiration rather than wild harvesting," the authors write. In addition, the project aims to generate consumer awareness of the specific species and ecosystems being protected and used as product inspiration. Individual projects to date span Brazil's Atlantic Forest, the Ecuadorian Chocó cloud forests, the Caribbean, the Mediterranean Basin, and Micronesia.
The authors are careful to acknowledge that using commerce to fund conservation is an approach that is not without its critics. Seminal scholarship has cautioned against what earlier researchers termed "selling nature to save nature." However, the authors contend that "blanket criticisms of monetization risks may well be stifling responsible efforts to harness private capital" in ways that could advance conservation goals, which have thus far proved difficult to achieve.
Just as important, the authors also see opportunities to foster environmental justice for the Indigenous and local communities who live in biodiverse areas. They propose that benefit sharing in the fragrance sector should encompass "both tangible and intangible returns for Indigenous and local communities" across financial, technological, educational, and cultural dimensions—and they are hopeful that The Red List Project and similar efforts may make this possible.
The article is available open access.
END