A Horizon Scan of Global Conservation Issues for 2016

William J Sutherland; Steven Broad; Jacqueline Caine; Mick Clout; Lynn V Dicks; Helen Doran; Abigail C Entwistle; Erica Fleishman; David W Gibbons; Brandon Keim; Becky LeAnstey; Fiona A Lickorish; Paul Markillie; Kathryn A Monk; Diana Mortimer; Nancy Ockendon; James W Pearce-Higgins; Lloyd S Peck; Jules Pretty; Johan Rockström; Mark D Spalding; Femke H Tonneijck; Bonnie C Wintle; Katherine E Wright

doi:10.1016/j.tree.2015.11.007

A Horizon Scan of Global Conservation Issues for 2016

Trends Ecol Evol. 2016 Jan;31(1):44-53. doi: 10.1016/j.tree.2015.11.007. Epub 2015 Dec 11.

Authors

William J Sutherland¹, Steven Broad², Jacqueline Caine³, Mick Clout⁴, Lynn V Dicks⁵, Helen Doran⁶, Abigail C Entwistle⁷, Erica Fleishman⁸, David W Gibbons⁹, Brandon Keim¹⁰, Becky LeAnstey¹¹, Fiona A Lickorish¹², Paul Markillie¹³, Kathryn A Monk¹⁴, Diana Mortimer¹⁵, Nancy Ockendon⁵, James W Pearce-Higgins¹⁶, Lloyd S Peck¹⁷, Jules Pretty¹⁸, Johan Rockström¹⁹, Mark D Spalding²⁰, Femke H Tonneijck²¹, Bonnie C Wintle²², Katherine E Wright²³

Affiliations

¹ Conservation Science Group, Department of Zoology, Cambridge University, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EJ, UK. Electronic address: w.sutherland@zoo.cam.ac.uk.
² TRAFFIC International, The David Attenborough Building, Pembroke Street, Cambridge, CB2 3QZ, UK.
³ British Ecological Society, Charles Darwin House, 12 Roger Street, London, WC1N 2JL, UK.
⁴ Centre for Biodiversity and Biosecurity, School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, PB 92019, Auckland, New Zealand.
⁵ Conservation Science Group, Department of Zoology, Cambridge University, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EJ, UK.
⁶ Natural England, Eastbrook, Shaftesbury Road, Cambridge, CB2 8DR, UK.
⁷ Fauna and Flora International, The David Attenborough Building, Pembroke Street, Cambridge, CB2 3QZ, UK.
⁸ John Muir Institute of the Environment, The Barn, One Shields Avenue, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
⁹ RSPB Centre for Conservation Science, Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, The Lodge, Sandy, Bedfordshire, SG19 2DL, UK.
¹⁰ 721 Ohio Street, Bangor, ME 04401, USA.
¹¹ Environment Agency, Horizon House, Deanery Road, Bristol, BS1 5AH, UK.
¹² Institute for Environment, Health, Risks and Futures, Cranfield University, Cranfield, MK43 0AL, UK.
¹³ The Economist, 25 St James's Street, London, SW1A 1HG, UK.
¹⁴ Natural Resources Wales, Cambria House, 29 Newport Road, Cardiff, CF24 0TP, UK.
¹⁵ JNCC, Monkstone House, City Road, Peterborough, PE1 1UA, UK.
¹⁶ BTO, The Nunnery, Thetford, Norfolk, IP24 2PU, UK.
¹⁷ British Antarctic Survey, Natural Environment Research Council, High Cross, Madingley Road, Cambridge, CB3 0ET, UK.
¹⁸ Department of Biological Sciences, University of Essex, Colchester, CO4 3SQ, UK.
¹⁹ Stockholm Resilience Center, Stockholm University, Kräftriket2B, SE-106 19 Stockholm, Sweden.
²⁰ Global Marine Team, The Nature Conservancy, Department of Physical, Earth, and Environmental Sciences, University of Siena, Pian dei Mantellini, 44, 53100 Siena, Italy.
²¹ Wetlands International, P.O. Box 471, 6700 AL Wageningen, The Netherlands.
²² Quantitative and Applied Ecology Group, Centre of Excellence for Biosecurity Risk Analysis, School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia.
²³ Natural Environment Research Council, Polaris House, North Star Avenue, Swindon, SN2 1EU, UK.

PMID: 26688445
DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2015.11.007

Abstract

This paper presents the results of our seventh annual horizon scan, in which we aimed to identify issues that could have substantial effects on global biological diversity in the future, but are not currently widely well known or understood within the conservation community. Fifteen issues were identified by a team that included researchers, practitioners, professional horizon scanners, and journalists. The topics include use of managed bees as transporters of biological control agents, artificial superintelligence, electric pulse trawling, testosterone in the aquatic environment, building artificial oceanic islands, and the incorporation of ecological civilization principles into government policies in China.

Keywords: biological diversity; environmental opportunity; environmental threat; foresight; futures; horizon scanning.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Review

MeSH terms

Animals
Bees
Biodiversity*
China
Conservation of Natural Resources / trends*
Environmental Policy