Large reductions in tropical bird abundance attributable to heat extreme intensification.

Although species exhibit widespread sensitivity to environmental conditions, the extent to which human-driven climate change may have already altered their abundance remains unclear. Here we quantify the impact of climate change on bird populations from across the world by combining models of their response to environmental conditions with a climate attribution framework. We identify a dominant role of intensified heat extremes compared to changes in average temperature and precipitation.

Global land cover maps do not reveal mining pressures to biodiversity.

Global land cover maps are key inputs into the biodiversity metrics used by the private sector to align their performance with conservation goals and targets. These maps utilize classification systems depicting combinations of 'natural' (vegetation, water bodies) and 'anthropogenic' (agriculture and built-up land) cover types, but often miss intensive pressures on biodiversity, such as mining. Here, we reveal that more than half (56-77%) the global land area disturbed by mining is classified by land cover maps as 'natural', suggesting metrics based on these maps likely overestimate the current state of biodiversity and underestimate opportunities to improve it.

Role of protected areas in mitigating range loss and local extinctions of terrestrial mammals.

Protected areas (PAs) are a major tool in biodiversity conservation, but the extent to which they mitigate species declines is often unclear. We evaluated the effectiveness of PAs in mitigating range contraction and local extinction for 483 terrestrial mammal species. We used expert-based species range maps from the 1970s and compared them with current distributions to estimate changes in range area and PA coverage over the last 5 decades.

Bridging conservation gaps under climate change at multiple scales to protect 30% of Earth's surface by 2030.

The 30×30 commitment outlined in the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KM-GBF) offers a critical opportunity for enhancing global biodiversity conservation. However, KM-GBF's efforts to address climate change impacts remain limited. We developed 1-km-resolution hotspot maps for climate change vulnerability with the exposure-sensitivity-adaptation framework, species distribution for 4 terrestrial vertebrate taxa, and carbon stock capacity including organic and biomass carbon, for 2030.

Ambitions in national plans do not yet match bold international protection and restoration commitments.

Almost 200 nations have made bold commitments to halt biodiversity loss as signatories to the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF). The effective achievement of the GBF relies on domestic targets and actions, reflected in National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs). NBSAPS are an integral feature of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) framework and signatory nations were requested to submit revised NBSAPs before the 16th Conference of the Parties (COP-16) incorporating the GBF goals and targets.

The estimated cost of preventing extinction and progressing recovery for Australia's priority threatened species.

The global extinction crisis is intensifying rapidly, driven by habitat loss, overexploitation, climate change, invasive species, and disease. This unprecedented loss of species not only threatens ecological integrity but also undermines ecosystem services vital for human survival. In response, many countries have set ambitious conservation targets such as halting species extinctions, yet the necessary financial commitments to achieve this are rarely prescribed.

The cost of recovering Australia's threatened species.

Accounting for the cost of repairing the degradation of Earth's biosphere is critical to guide conservation and sustainable development decisions. Yet the costs of repairing nature through the recovery of a continental suite of threatened species across their range have never been calculated. We estimated the cost of in situ recovery of nationally listed terrestrial and freshwater threatened species (n = 1,657) across the megadiverse continent of Australia by combining the spatially explicit costs of all strategies required to address species-specific threats.

Global rarity of high-integrity tropical rainforests for threatened and declining terrestrial vertebrates.

Structurally intact native forests free from major human pressures are vitally important habitats for the persistence of forest biodiversity. However, the extent of such high-integrity forest habitats remaining for biodiversity is unknown. Here, we quantify the amount of high-integrity tropical rainforests, as a fraction of total forest cover, within the geographic ranges of 16,396 species of terrestrial vertebrates worldwide.

A horizon scan of biological conservation issues for 2025.

We discuss the outcomes of our 16th horizon scan of issues that are novel or represent a considerable step-change and have the potential to substantially affect conservation of biological diversity in the coming decade. From an initial 96 topics, our international panel of 32 scientists and practitioners prioritised 15 issues. Technological advances are prominent, including metal and non-metal organic frameworks, deriving rare earth elements from macroalgae, synthetic gene drives in plants, and low-emission cement.

Ability of new protected areas to counteract losses from downgrading, downsizing, and degazettement.

Protected area downgrading, downsizing, and degazettement (PADDD) is a common occurrence. Although PADDD is expected to weaken biodiversity protection, PADDD offsets and new unrelated protected areas (PAs) could help restore representation of biodiversity features to the reserve network affected by PADDD. Globally, we analyzed 16 territories with terrestrial PADDD and 4 territories with marine PADDD from 2011 to 2020.

Beak and feather disease virus detected in the endangered Red Goshawk (Erythrotriorchis radiatus).

We report the first detection and prevalence of Beak and feather disease virus (BFDV) in Australia's Red Goshawk (Erythrotriorchis radiatus). This is a new host for this pervasive pathogen amongst a growing list of non-psittacine species including birds of prey from the orders Accipitriformes (hawks, eagles, kites), Falconiformes (falcons and caracas), and Strigiformes (owls). The Red Goshawk is the first non-psittacine species listed as Endangered to be diagnosed with BFDV.

Assessing adequacy of citizen science datasets for biodiversity monitoring.

Tracking the state of biodiversity over time is critical to successful conservation, but conventional monitoring schemes tend to be insufficient to adequately quantify how species' abundances and distributions are changing. One solution to this issue is to leverage data generated by citizen scientists, who collect vast quantities of data at temporal and spatial scales that cannot be matched by most traditional monitoring methods. However, the quality of citizen science data can vary greatly.

A horizon scan of global biological conservation issues for 2024.

We present the results of our 15th horizon scan of novel issues that could influence biological conservation in the future. From an initial list of 96 issues, our international panel of scientists and practitioners identified 15 that we consider important for societies worldwide to track and potentially respond to. Issues are novel within conservation or represent a substantial positive or negative step-change with global or regional extents.

Global assessment of the biodiversity safeguards of development banks that finance infrastructure.

Infrastructure development is a major driver of biodiversity loss globally. With upward of US$2.5 trillion in annual investments in infrastructure, the financial sector indirectly drives this biodiversity loss.

Global governance for pandemic prevention and the wildlife trade.

Although ideas about preventive actions for pandemics have been advanced during the COVID-19 crisis, there has been little consideration for how they can be operationalised through governance structures within the context of the wildlife trade for human consumption. To date, pandemic governance has mostly focused on outbreak surveillance, containment, and response rather than on avoiding zoonotic spillovers in the first place. However, given the acceleration of globalisation, a paradigm shift towards prevention of zoonotic spillovers is warranted as containment of outbreaks becomes unfeasible.

A global biological conservation horizon scan of issues for 2023.

We present the results of our 14th horizon scan of issues we expect to influence biological conservation in the future. From an initial set of 102 topics, our global panel of 30 scientists and practitioners identified 15 issues we consider most urgent for societies worldwide to address. Issues are novel within biological conservation or represent a substantial positive or negative step change at global or regional scales.

Retaining natural vegetation to safeguard biodiversity and humanity.

Global efforts to deliver internationally agreed goals to reduce carbon emissions, halt biodiversity loss, and retain essential ecosystem services have been poorly integrated. These goals rely in part on preserving natural (e.g.