A Horizon Scan of Emerging Issues for Global Conservation in 2019

Sutherland WJ 1 , Broad S 2 , Butchart SHM 3 , Clarke SJ 4 , Collins AM 5 , Dicks LV 6 Show all authors , Doran H 7 , Esmail N 8 , Fleishman E 9 , Frost N 10 , Gaston KJ 11 , Gibbons DW 12 , Hughes AC 13 , Jiang Z 14 , Kelman R 15 , LeAnstey B 16 , le Roux X 17 , Lickorish FA 18 , Monk KA 19 , Mortimer D 20 , Pearce-Higgins JW 21 , Peck LS 22 , Pettorelli N 23 , Pretty J 24 , Seymour CL 25 , Spalding MD 26 , Wentworth J 27 , Ockendon N 28

Affiliations 

  • 1 Conservation Science Group, Department of Zoology, Cambridge University, The David Attenborough Building, Pembroke Street, Cambridge, CB2 3QZ, UK. Electronic address: w.sutherland@zoo.cam.ac.uk
  • 2 TRAFFIC, The David Attenborough Building, Pembroke Street, Cambridge, CB2 3QZ, UK
  • 3 Conservation Science Group, Department of Zoology, Cambridge University, The David Attenborough Building, Pembroke Street, Cambridge, CB2 3QZ, UK; BirdLife International, The David Attenborough Building, Pembroke Street, Cambridge, CB2 3QZ, UK
  • 4 The National Trust, Heelis, Kemble Drive, Swindon, SN2 2NA, UK
  • 5 Centre for Environmental Policy, Imperial College, London, UK
  • 6 School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, NR4 7TJ, UK
  • 7 Natural England, Eastbrook, Shaftesbury Road, Cambridge, CB2 8DR, UK
  • 8 Oxford Martin Programme on the Illegal Wildlife Trade, 34 Broad St, Oxford, OX1 3BD, UK
  • 9 Department of Fish, Wildlife and Conservation Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
  • 10 Fauna & Flora International, The David Attenborough Building, Pembroke Street, Cambridge CB2 3QZ, UK
  • 11 Environment and Sustainability Institute, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Penryn, Cornwall, TR10 9FE, UK
  • 12 RSPB Centre for Conservation Science, Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, The Lodge, Sandy, SG19 2DL, UK; RSPB, The David Attenborough Building, Pembroke Street, Cambridge CB2 3QZ, UK
  • 13 Centre for Integrative Conservation, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xishuangbanna, Yunnan, 666303, P.R. China
  • 14 Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, P.R. China; University Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, P.R. China
  • 15 Natural Environment Research Council, Polaris House, North Star Avenue, Swindon, SN2 1EU, UK
  • 16 Environment Agency, Horizon House, Deanery Road, Bristol, BS1 5AH, UK
  • 17 Microbial Ecology Centre, UMR1418 INRA, CNRS, University Lyon 1, 69622 Villeurbanne, France; La Fondation pour la Recherche sur la Biodiversité, 195 rue Saint Jacques, 75005 Paris, France
  • 18 UK Research and Consultancy Services (RCS) Ltd, Valletts Cottage, Westhope, Hereford, HR4 8BU, UK
  • 19 Natural Resources Wales, Cambria House, 29 Newport Road, Cardiff, CF24 0TP, UK
  • 20 Joint Nature Conservation Committee, Monkstone House, City Road, Peterborough, PE1 1UA, UK
  • 21 Conservation Science Group, Department of Zoology, Cambridge University, The David Attenborough Building, Pembroke Street, Cambridge, CB2 3QZ, UK; British Trust for Ornithology, The Nunnery, Thetford, IP24 2PU, UK
  • 22 British Antarctic Survey, Natural Environment Research Council, High Cross, Madingley Road, Cambridge, CB3 0ET, UK
  • 23 Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, Regent's Park, London, NW1 4RY, UK
  • 24 School of Biological Sciences, University of Essex, Colchester, CO4 3SQ, UK
  • 25 South African National Biodiversity Institute, Private Bag X7, Claremont 7735, South Africa
  • 26 Global Marine Team, The Nature Conservancy, Department of Physical, Earth, and Environmental Sciences, University of Siena, Pian dei Mantellini, Siena 53100, Italy
  • 27 Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology, 14 Tothill Street, Westminster, London, SW1H 9NB, UK
  • 28 Conservation Science Group, Department of Zoology, Cambridge University, The David Attenborough Building, Pembroke Street, Cambridge, CB2 3QZ, UK
Trends Ecol Evol, 2019 01;34(1):83-94.
PMID: 30554808 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2018.11.001

Abstract

We present the results of our tenth annual horizon scan. We identified 15 emerging priority topics that may have major positive or negative effects on the future conservation of global biodiversity, but currently have low awareness within the conservation community. We hope to increase research and policy attention on these areas, improving the capacity of the community to mitigate impacts of potentially negative issues, and maximise the benefits of issues that provide opportunities. Topics include advances in crop breeding, which may affect insects and land use; manipulations of natural water flows and weather systems on the Tibetan Plateau; release of carbon and mercury from melting polar ice and thawing permafrost; new funding schemes and regulations; and land-use changes across Indo-Malaysia.

* Title and MeSH Headings from MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

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