Addressing global biodiversity loss needs more than data collection. A new PNAS Perspective from the 2025 US–UK Scientific Forum outlines 9 changes to improve how biodiversity is measured and used for conservation.
Read now: https://ow.ly/BH5Q50YsXUY
Forum: https://ow.ly/U5ZV50YsUTK
Thank you, Anil for this excellent summary of the two @pnas.org papers on #biodiversity measurement and monitoring that came out this week. I love your rallying call to the computer science community to help build the federated system we need. This is firmly in the realm of the doable.
We have more #biodiversity data than ever — from 🛰️, field work, citizen obs., and Indigenous knowledge.
But, are we halting biodiversity loss? The answer is uncertain.
Why? Because the chain of evidence needs to be stronger
Our new #PNAS paper proposes a way forward
www.pnas.org/doi/epdf/10....
Why biodiversity science needs its own model intercomparison projects 👇.
Lessons from climate science, applied to biodiversity & policy. 🌍🧬
by @geobon.org #EcoCode team @mark-urban.bsky.social @gretabocedi.bsky.social @sjevelazco.bsky.social
📣 Join us - we’re hiring an engagement officer for the CAN BON 🍁 initiative!
An effort to transform Canada’s capacity to mobilize its knowledge about the changing state of nature.
See the job posting here👇
www.linkedin.com/posts/andrew...
Without forward-looking models, biodiversity policy risks missing the road to recovery.
Our new PNAS article calls for predictive tools and a World Biodiversity Research Programme to guide global action.
👉 doi.org/10.1073/pnas...
#Biodiversity #Conservation #PredictiveModels #PNAS
"Nature et climat, deux défis avec une solution commune : la biodiversité au cœur de la résilience climatique": Les co-directeurs du CSBQ Fanie Pelletier et Andrew Gonzalez @bio-diverse.bsky.social co-signent un article dans @climatoscope360.bsky.social climatoscope.ca/nature-et-cl... 🌳🪲🌅 1/2
A must-read special issue: “Bending the curve towards nature recovery: building on Georgina Mace’s legacy”
royalsocietypublishing.org/toc/rstb/202...
I: Determinants of diversity & resilience.
II: Measuring the state of biodiversity
III: Biodiversity & natural capital
IV: Future scenarios for nature
La #biodiversité canadienne étalée sur une carte www.ledevoir.com/environnemen...
Pour en savoir plus sur Blitz the Gap:
blitzthegap.org
@biomcgill.bsky.social @qcbs.ca
The aim is to build trust and comparability. Whether you're a scientist, a CEO reporting for TNFD, or a policymaker tracking #GBF targets, the data and indicators need to be robust and reliable. This framework shows how. #ESG
3/3: The framework is modular, tiered, and built on FAIR & CARE principles. It's a call to build a common infrastructure. We need to get this done. Feedback welcome. #Biodiversity #Conservation
2/3: This isn't just for scientists. The BMSF is designed to be the auditable "data engine" for corporate disclosures (TNFD) and national reporting to the CBD. It's about connecting credible data to real decisions. #DataScience
1/3: Think of it as a "chain of evidence" blueprint. It standardizes the entire workflow so data from different projects can actually be aggregated and compared. This is critical for robust, large-scale application of the science. #OpenScience
Are you tracking developments in #biodiversity monitoring and its applications?
We wrote a paper on addressing the challenges:
Data to Decisions: the Biodiversity Monitoring Standards Framework (BMSF). Creating a cycle of trust from field data to policy reports 🧵
ecoevorxiv.org/repository/v...
How do we measure life on Earth? 🌍🌱 The new summary report from the 2025 US-UK Forum on Measuring Biodiversity, hosted by the NAS and @royalsociety.org, explores tools, challenges, and solutions for tackling the #biodiversity crisis.
Read here: bit.ly/460RB7R
📣 Out now:
A #Biodiversity Observation Network to support conservation action and mainstream knowledge in #Canada
www.facetsjournal.com/doi/10.1139/...
A 🍁BON would consolidate what we know, grow our capacity to understand trends, mitigate risks, and guide policy to protect & restore nature.
Haha 😂 - glad you did. It was a v special day!
The members of the UN expert group (aka the AHTEG) that did this analysis was composed of many fantastic colleagues most alas not on Bluesky yet. @stubutchart.bsky.social
The 2026 national reports are the first major test for countries to show progress with their monitoring. This will be a first peak at the progress.
#Conservation #GBF #Policy #GEOBON #Biodiversity
#openaccess
Read our analysis & recommendations here:
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
So what now? It’s not enough to have a framework; we have to make it work.
This requires ambition and investment to help countries develop monitoring capacity and collaborate to fill gaps and translate knowledge into action.
Our paper offers a roadmap for filling these gaps. 5/6
📈 The Opportunity: If countries use all the optional indicators (the best-case), coverage improves to 29-47%.
But even then, 12% of the plan has no indicators at all. Key areas like benefit-sharing (Goal C) are major blind spots. 4/6
🚨 The Reality Check: If countries only report on the required (headline + binary) indicators, the monitoring framework has big gaps: it only covers 19-40% of the GBF’s goals and targets. We'll miss most of the story. 3/6
First, the monitoring framework has "required" indicators (the floor for reporting) and "optional" ones (for countries that want to be more comprehensive).
This distinction is critical, as our analysis shows.
2/6
The global plan for #biodiversity - the UN CBD's GBF - has a key feature, a monitoring framework to track progress. But, does it cover all the GBF's elements?
We did a full gap analysis for the UN CBD. Our new open-access paper led by Flavio Affinito is out @natureecoevo.bsky.social
🧵 ⬇️
Phew, I just gave a talk and animated a floor game about the impacts of roads on wildlife and the restoration of habitat connectivity during Eureka! Quebec’s biggest science festival #Montreal.
Presenting to smart 8-12 yr olds took a different energy to my classes @mcgill.ca
festivaleureka.ca/en/
Very happy to send you the PDF of the article.
On #BiologicalDiversityDay it’s important to remember that humanity has caused dramatic changes to the biosphere - only 6% of the combined weight of all mammals on Earth 🌏 is wild! 😳
From the fantastic research by: @liorgreenspoon.bsky.social Ron Milo and colleagues.
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
Sure, send me an email and I’ll send you the PDF.
So happy to share our Review paper
A well-connected Earth: The science and conservation of organismal movement
@science.org
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...