Biodiversity conservation: challenges beyond 2010.
The continued growth of human populations and of per capita consumption have resulted in unsustainable exploitation of Earth's biological diversity, exacerbated by climate change, ocean acidification, and other anthropogenic environmental impacts. We argue that effective conservation of biodiversity is essential for human survival and the maintenance of ecosystem processes. Despite some conservation successes (especially at local scales) and increasing public and government interest in living sustainably, biodiversity continues to decline. Moving beyond 2010, successful conservation approaches need to be reinforced and adequately financed. In addition, however, more radical changes are required that recognize biodiversity as a global public good, that integrate biodiversity conservation into policies and decision frameworks for resource production and consumption, and that focus on wider institutional and societal changes to enable more effective implementation of policy.
Rands
Michael R W
MR
Cambridge Conservation Initiative, Judge Business School, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1AG, UK. mr494@cam.ac.uk
Adams
William M
WM
Bennun
Leon
L
Butchart
Stuart H M
SH
Clements
Andrew
A
Coomes
David
D
Entwistle
Abigail
A
Hodge
Ian
I
Kapos
Valerie
V
Scharlemann
Jörn P W
JP
Sutherland
William J
WJ
Vira
Bhaskar
B
D000818:Animals; D044822:Biodiversity; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources / Q000639:trends; D003657:Decision Making; D017753:Ecosystem; D004777:Environment; D006801:Humans; D007391:International Cooperation; D010944:Plants; D011157:Population Dynamics; D011640:Public Policy