Elsa Maria Cardona Santos

Elsa Maria Cardona Santos is a Postdoctoral Researcher at the Department of Conservation Biology and Social-Ecological Systems at the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ) in Leipzig, Germany. She holds positions both as a Scientific Researcher at UFZ since October 2024 and as an Adviser on nature-based climate protection at ZUG gGmbH since September 2024.

Her educational background includes a Doctorate on Payments for Environmental Services from the University of Bonn (2013-2018), a Master of Science in Food and Resource Economics from the University of Bonn (2011-2013), and a Bachelor of Science in Economics from the University of Freiburg (2008-2011).

Dr. Cardona Santos focuses on the social dimensions of nature conservation, particularly on integrating biodiversity targets into decision-making across public and private sectors. Her research emphasizes transformative governance approaches that operationalize inclusive visions for conservation, restoration, and sustainable use of nature. She investigates how governance processes can be shaped by diverse perspectives and knowledge systems, integrated across sectors, and adapted to new circumstances, technologies, and information while ensuring accountability in implementation.

Her publication record demonstrates a consistent trajectory from conservation economics (particularly Payment for Ecosystem Services mechanisms) toward broader biodiversity governance and policy integration. Her recent work (2023-2024) focuses on mainstreaming biodiversity targets into sectoral policies, examining implementation challenges across multiple countries and policy sectors, with increasing attention to social dimensions and governance transformation.

Her professional experience spans academic research, project management, and consultancy. Prior to her current positions, she worked as a Scientific Researcher at UFZ (2022-2023), Project Manager at Environmental Action Germany (2020-2022), and Research Fellow at the University of Bonn (2013-2019). She has also provided consultancy for Rewilding Oder Delta (2023-2024).

Dr. Cardona Santos is embedded within UFZ's Department of Conservation Biology and Social-Ecological Systems, led by Prof. Dr. Josef Settele. Her work connects with broader initiatives including the Ecosystems of the Future research program (2021-2027), particularly the Conservation Biology & Social-Ecological Systems working group that examines governance of biodiversity and nature conservation.