title: A 2017 Horizon Scan of Emerging Issues for Global Conservation and Biological Diversity.
abstract: We present the results of our eighth annual horizon scan of emerging issues likely to affect global biological diversity, the environment, and conservation efforts in the future. The potential effects of these novel issues might not yet be fully recognized or understood by the global conservation community, and the issues can be regarded as both opportunities and risks. A diverse international team with collective expertise in horizon scanning, science communication, and conservation research, practice, and policy reviewed 100 potential issues and identified 15 that qualified as emerging, with potential substantial global effects. These issues include new developments in energy storage and fuel production, sand extraction, potential solutions to combat coral bleaching and invasive marine species, and blockchain technology.
authors.affiliation: 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.
authors.forename: William J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Sutherland
authors.affiliation: Biodiversity Futures Program, South African National Biodiversity Institute, Private Bag X7, Claremont 7735 and DST-NRF Centre of Excellence, FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, Rondebosch 7700, South Africa.
authors.forename: Phoebe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Barnard
authors.affiliation: TRAFFIC, The David Attenborough Building, Pembroke Street, Cambridge, CB2 3QZ, UK.
authors.forename: Steven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Broad
authors.affiliation: Centre for Biodiversity and Biosecurity, School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, PB 92019, Auckland, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Mick
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Clout
authors.affiliation: British Ecological Society, Charles Darwin House, 12 Roger Street, London, WC1N 2JL, UK.
authors.forename: Ben
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Connor
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, V5A 1S6, Canada.
authors.forename: Isabelle M
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: Côté
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, UEA, Norwich, NR4 7TJ, UK.
authors.forename: Lynn V
authors.initials: LV
authors.lastname: Dicks
authors.affiliation: Natural England, Eastbrook, Shaftesbury Road, Cambridge, CB2 8DR, UK.
authors.forename: Helen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Doran
authors.affiliation: Fauna & Flora International, The David Attenborough Building, Pembroke Street, Cambridge, CB2 3QZ, UK.
authors.forename: Abigail C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Entwistle
authors.affiliation: John Muir Institute of the Environment, The Barn, One Shields Ave., University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
authors.forename: Erica
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Fleishman
authors.affiliation: Environment Agency, Horizon House, Deanery Road, Bristol, BS1 5AH, UK.
authors.forename: Marie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fox
authors.affiliation: Environment & Sustainability Institute, University of Exeter, Penryn, TR10 9FE, UK.
authors.forename: Kevin J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Gaston
authors.affiliation: RSPB Centre for Conservation Science, Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, The Lodge, Sandy, SG19 2DL, UK.
authors.forename: David W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Gibbons
authors.affiliation: Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China 100101 and University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
authors.forename: Zhigang
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.affiliation: 721 Ohio Street, Bangor, ME 04401, USA.
authors.forename: Brandon
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Keim
authors.affiliation: Cranfield Institute for Resilient Futures, Cranfield University, Cranfield, MK43 0AL, UK.
authors.forename: Fiona A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Lickorish
authors.affiliation: The Economist, 25St James's Street, London, SW1A 1HG, UK.
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Markillie
authors.affiliation: Natural Resources Wales, Cambria House, 29 Newport Road, Cardiff, CF24 0TP, UK.
authors.forename: Kathryn A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Monk
authors.affiliation: Conservation Science Group, Department of Zoology, Cambridge University, The David Attenborough Building, Pembroke Street, Cambridge, CB2 3QZ, UK; BTO, The Nunnery, Thetford, IP24 2PU, UK.
authors.forename: James W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Pearce-Higgins
authors.affiliation: British Antarctic Survey, Natural Environment Research Council, High Cross, Madingley Road, Cambridge, CB3 0ET, UK.
authors.forename: Lloyd S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Peck
authors.affiliation: Centre for Environment and Society and School of Biological Sciences, University of Essex, Colchester, CO4 3SQ, UK.
authors.forename: Jules
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pretty
authors.affiliation: Global Marine Team, The Nature Conservancy, Department of Physical, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Siena, Pian dei Mantellini, 44, 53100 Siena, Italy.
authors.forename: Mark D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Spalding
authors.affiliation: Wetlands International, PO Box 471, 6700 AL Wageningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Femke H
authors.initials: FH
authors.lastname: Tonneijck
authors.affiliation: CSER, Centre for Research in the Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities, Cambridge University, The David Attenborough Building, Pembroke Street, Cambridge, CB2 3QZ, UK.
authors.forename: Bonnie C
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Wintle
authors.affiliation: Conservation Science Group, Department of Zoology, Cambridge University, The David Attenborough Building, Pembroke Street, Cambridge, CB2 3QZ, UK.
authors.forename: Nancy
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ockendon
mesh_terms: D044822:Biodiversity; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources; D005544:Forecasting; D058865:Introduced Species
keywords: climate change; energy security; environment; futures; invasive species; management; novel issues; predictions