A horizon scan of global biological conservation issues for 2024
2024
Sutherland, William J. | Bennett, Craig | Brotherton, Peter N.M. | Butchart, Stuart H.M. | Butterworth, Holly M. | Clarke, Stewart J. | Esmail, Nafeesa | Fleishman, Erica | Gaston, Kevin J. | Herbert-Read, James E. | Hughes, Alice C. | James, Jennifer | Kaartokallio, Hermanni | Le Roux, Xavier | Lickorish, Fiona A. | Newport, Sarah | Palardy, James E. | Pearce-Higgins, James W. | Peck, Lloyd S. | Pettorelli, Nathalie | Primack, Richard B. | Primack, Willow E. | Schloss, Irene R. | Spalding, Mark D. | ten Brink, Dirk | Tew, Eleanor | Timoshyna, Anastasiya | Tubbs, Nicolas | Watson, James E.M. | Wentworth, Jonathan | Wilson, Jeremy D. | Thornton, Ann | Suomen ympäristökeskus | The Finnish Environment Institute | 0000-0002-3650-4628
Highlights Our 15th annual horizon scan identified 15 emerging issues of concern for global biodiversity conservation. A panel of 31 scientists and practitioners submitted a total of 96 topics that were ranked using a Delphi-style technique according to novelty and likelihood of impact on biodiversity conservation. The top 37 issues were discussed in person and online in September 2023 during which the issues were ranked according to the same criteria. Our 15 issues cover impacts from the development of new sources of hydrogen fuel to temperature changes in the mesopelagic ocean zone. Other emerging technologies include benchtop DNA printers and the creation of high-protein food from air. Abstract We present the results of our 15th horizon scan of novel issues that could influence biological conservation in the future. From an initial list of 96 issues, our international panel of scientists and practitioners identified 15 that we consider important for societies worldwide to track and potentially respond to. Issues are novel within conservation or represent a substantial positive or negative step-change with global or regional extents. For example, new sources of hydrogen fuel and changes in deep-sea currents may have profound impacts on marine and terrestrial ecosystems. Technological advances that may be positive include benchtop DNA printers and the industrialisation of approaches that can create high-protein food from air, potentially reducing the pressure on land for food production.
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