Scenarios and Models to Support Global Conservation Targets.

Area of Science:

• Ecology
• Conservation Biology
• Environmental Policy

Background:

• Global biodiversity targets are crucial for worldwide nature conservation efforts.
• The Strategic Plan for Biodiversity includes the Aichi Targets, which require robust scientific underpinning for effective implementation.
• Current approaches may not fully leverage the potential of scientific tools to inform these targets.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the role of scenarios and models in informing global biodiversity targets, specifically the Aichi Targets.
• To highlight how these tools can enhance the scientific basis and implementation of conservation goals.
• To demonstrate the value of models in identifying synergies and trade-offs in conservation actions.

Main Methods:

• Literature review focusing on the application of scenarios and models in biodiversity conservation.
• Analysis of how these tools can inform the wording and quantitative aspects of targets.
• Examination of the capacity of models to address complex interactions between conservation objectives.

Main Results:

• Scenarios and models offer a scientific basis for target formulation and quantification.
• These tools can identify crucial synergies and trade-offs among different conservation actions and targets.
• The complexity-addressing capacity of models is invaluable for policy development.

Conclusions:

• Scenarios and models are essential for developing well-founded and effectively implemented global biodiversity targets.
• Their application can lead to more meaningful conservation targets and improved conservation outcomes.
• Integrating these scientific tools is key to advancing nature conservation worldwide.