Area-based conservation has long been a cornerstone of efforts to conserve species and habitats, safeguard and enhance nature’s contributions to people, 1and improve the resilience of land and seascapes to climate change (Zeng et al. 2022; Brodie et al. 2023; Duncanson et al. 2023; Nowakowski et al. 2023; Cannizzo et al. 2024).
We present outcomes from our 17th horizon scan of issues potentially impacting global biodiversity conservation in the next decade. Issues are novel, or represent a significant step-change in impact, and are currently not well-known or understood within the conservation community. Our panel of 26 scientists, practitioners, and policymakers scored an initial list of 96 issues, discussed the highest ranked 35 issues at a workshop, and identified the 15 top-ranked issues.
Plant taxonomy underpins biodiversity research and conservation, but global disparities in training and resources hinder progress, especially in biodiversity- rich regions. Through a global survey of taxonomists and trainers, we reveal that 48% of countries have fewer than ten active plant taxonomists and that there are stark regional gaps in access to basic tools and infrastructure. A 'limi-
Based on distinctive morphological and vocal characters we describe a new species of jewel-babbler (genus Ptilorrhoa) from the forested karst of the Southern Fold Mountains in Papua New Guinea. The description is based on camera trap data and is presented in accordance with ICZN Declaration 45. The new species is currently known only from the type locality at the top of Iagifu Ridge (1335–1400 m above sea level), a limestone anticline isolated from the main body of New Guinea's central cordillera, where it is uncommon.
Other effective area–based conservation measures (OECMs) are anticipated to play an important role in progress towards global protection targets, with progress being judged on the basis of the areas reported to the World Database on Other Effective area-based Conservation Measures (WD-OECM). Given concerns that OECMs may be designated inappropriately, in this study we asked what evidence has been provided to show that sites have been assessed against the criteria to be OECMs.
Delivering both social and ecological outcomes is regarded as essential for conservation actions to be effective, particularly in regions where Indigenous Peoples (IPs) and local communities (LCs) depend heavily on natural resources. In the Indo-Pacific, sustainable small-scale fisheries are seen as potential win–win solutions. Here, we evaluate the opportunities and challenges of supporting IPs and LCs to sustainably manage and add value to a high-value marine commodity using a case study from the Mwanus Endras Asi Resource Development Network (MEARDN) in Manus Province, Papua New Guinea.
Climate change and its impacts are increasingly threatening the ability of marine protected areas (MPA) to meet their conservation goals. While integration of climate change into planning is critical, a recent global analysis found that relatively few MPAs have incorporated climate change considerations into formal management planning processes. Despite this, sessions and discussions at the Fifth International Marine Protected Areas Congress (IMPAC5) demonstrate that climate-adaptive management already permeates MPA processes, from day-to-day management to design and implementation.
Summarising CBD target 3 to “30 × 30” emphasizes area coverage, but conservation success depends on MPA quality. Many existing MPAs are under-protected, and rapidly designating new areas risks creating ‘paper parks’ without ecological or social benefits. Prioritizing strictly or fully managed MPAs, supported by a clear and shared definition, is essential to achieve meaningful biodiversity outcomes. Quality-focused strategies ensure that global targets benefit both nature and people, rather than merely meeting numerical goals.
Global changes threaten marine species, making marine climate refugia essential for biodiversity conservation and climate change mitigation. Our analysis maps sensitive and stability zones across the global ocean. We define marine climate refugia as climate-resilient zones with global conservation consensus under the worst-case emissions scenario for 2100. Marine climate refugia span 17.6 million square kilometres, with 96% within exclusive economic zones.
Our planet is facing an unprecedented and accelerating biodiversity crisis, driven by human activity and compounded by climate change, which is bringing ever more severe weather to a world already strained by poverty and inequality. Species are disappearing at accelerating rates, entire ecosystems are collapsing at alarming speeds, and millions of people struggle to secure the most basic needs of water, food, energy, and safety.
