A Horizon Scan of Global Conservation Issues for 2016

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Conservation Biology
• Future Studies

Background:

• Conservation efforts often focus on well-known threats.
• Emerging issues with substantial future impacts may be overlooked.
• Proactive identification of future threats is crucial for effective biodiversity conservation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify emerging issues that could significantly affect global biological diversity.
• To bring under-recognized future threats to the attention of the conservation community.
• To inform future conservation strategies by highlighting novel challenges.

Main Methods:

• Conducted the seventh annual horizon scan.
• Assembled a multidisciplinary team of researchers, practitioners, horizon scanners, and journalists.
• Identified and analyzed fifteen potential future issues impacting biodiversity.

Main Results:

• Fifteen significant future issues affecting global biological diversity were identified.
• Identified issues span diverse fields such as biotechnology, artificial intelligence, and policy.
• Examples include managed bees as biological control vectors, artificial superintelligence, and electric pulse trawling.

Conclusions:

• Early identification of emerging threats is vital for proactive biodiversity conservation.
• A broader range of disciplines must be considered when anticipating future environmental challenges.
• The identified issues require further investigation and potential integration into conservation planning.