Background: Effective communication can play a vital role in societal transformations towards sustainability and biodiversity restoration. However, the complexity and long-term nature of environmental change presents a communication challenge. If not carefully navigated, messages around environmental degradation can lead to audience disengagement and issue fatigue, at a time when motivation, engagement and positive action is required. Methods: In this Conservation in Action piece, we describe the principles of positive communication, which are being adopted by a growing movement of conservation organizations. We support this approach by reviewing evidence on the role of emotions in decision-making from diverse fields such as psychology and communications, paying particularly close attention to the experiences of climate change communicators. Results: Positive emotional experiences, including feelings of hope, collective efficacy, and the warm glow that follows actions aligned with intrinsic values, can play an essential role in sustaining actions that contribute to transformative change. While negative emotions prime specific action tendencies, positive emotions enable creativity, cooperation, and resilience, which are all essential for overcoming the challenging nature of acting on the biodiversity crisis. Conclusions: Communications from conservation researchers and practitioners need to reflect the reality of the biodiversity crisis. While some communications may seek to motivate action through warnings and threats, messages that trigger positive emotions in audiences can help inspire long-term engagement and action. We suggest that this positive communication approach is underutilized. Implications: We present a guide to help those working in conservation convey their messages in ways that are empowering and positive. As the biodiversity crisis intensifies, it is critical that conservation professionals continue to imagine and develop pathways to a better future and communicate with others in society in a way that supports transformative change towards this future.

In Europe hunting has contributed to the disappearance of many rare bird species (Mitrus & Zbyryt, , Ornis Polonica, , –). In Poland even formerly widely distributed and common species such as the Least Concern coot Fulica atra, tufted duck Aythya fuligula and Eurasian teal Anas crecca, and the Vulnerable common pochard Aythya ferina, have declined dramatically (Wylegala & Lawicki, , Common Pochard, Tufted ducks, Eurasian Teal, Coot—State of Population and Impact of Hunting, Salamandra, Poznan, Poland). In July  the Polish National IUCN Committee appealed to the Ministry of the Environment, requesting the removal of these four species from the list of game species and the granting of strict protection. In addition, changes have been proposed to the Hunting Law that would support these species, including: () delaying of hunting dates for water birds, to avoid the breeding season, () prohibiting hunting of water birds after sunset, when it is difficult to distinguish species, () introducing the obligation to base hunting plans for migratory water birds on results from monitoring, () obliging hunters to help eradicate invasive species from wetlands, and () prohibiting the use of lead shot for hunting within  m of wetlands (Wylegala & Lawicki, , op cit). The proposal related to lead shot deserves special attention. Poland is one of the few EU countries where the use of lead ammunition is allowed in all habitats (Kitowski, , Oryx, , –). This is despite Poland’s ratification of the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals and that the th Conference of the Parties to the Convention in Quito in  adopted a resolution on preventing poisoning of migratory birds and recommended introduction of a ban on lead ammunition (Lamare, , Proceedings of the th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties, Secretariat of the Convention on Migratory Species, Bonn, Germany). However, to date, this resolution has been ignored in Poland despite evidence of the accumulation of high levels of lead in water birds (Kitowski et al., , Ambio, , –). Unfortunately, in August  the Ministry of Environment, in response to the IUCN appeal, indicated there would be no changes to the list of game birds or to the Hunting Law (Redakcja,  October , zycierolnika.pl/ index.php/aktualnosci/item/-resort-rolnictwa-przeciwny-wstrzymaniu-polowan-na-ptaki-lowne).

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