Global Metrics for Terrestrial Biodiversity
Biodiversity metrics are increasingly in demand for informing government, business, and civil society decisions. However, it is not always clear to end users how these metrics differ or for what purpose they are best suited. We seek to answer these questions using a database of 573 biodiversity-related metrics, indicators, indices, and layers, which address aspects of genetic diversity, species, and ecosystems. We provide examples of indicators and their uses within the state–pressure–response–benefits framework that is widely used in conservation science. Considering complementarity across this framework, we recommend a small number of metrics considered most pertinent for use in decision-making by governments and businesses. We conclude by highlighting five future directions: increasing the importance of national metrics, ensuring wider uptake of business metrics, agreeing on a minimum set of metrics for government and business use, automating metric calculation through use of technology, and generating sustainable funding for metric production.
Authors
- Frank Hawkins (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5769-8508)
- Heli Sihvonen
- Naomi Kingston (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2925-9158)
- Jonathan Green (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5003-0203)
- Nina Bhola (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2110-762X)
- Thomas M. Brooks (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8159-3116)
- Arnout van Soesbergen (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3263-4011)
- Jacob Bedford (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8595-5727)
- América Paz Durán (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9719-7388)
- Stuart H. M. Butchart (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1140-4049)
- Jonathan D. Hughes (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1298-7514)
- Lauren V. Weatherdon (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3989-027X)
- Ana Ramos Rodrigues
- Lera Miles (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0377-5904)
- Chris West (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5091-6514)
- Osgur McDermott-Long
- Corinna Ravilious
- Natasha Ali (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4990-330X)
- Luke Swindell
- Alena Cierna
- Ayesha Hargey
- Neil D. Burgess (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2291-4535)
- Matthew Harris (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0007-5047-3251)
- Sharon E. Brooks
- Aimee Seager
- Matea Vukelic
- Roberto Correa
Institutions
- University of the Philippines Los Baños (PH)
- University of Copenhagen (DK)
- University of Tasmania (AU)
- Conservation International (US)
- Stockholm Environment Institute (GB)
- UN Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre (GB)
- Austral University of Chile (CL)
- University of Cambridge (GB)
- BirdLife international (GB)
- International Union for Conservation of Nature (CH)
- University of York (GB)
- KPMG (United Kingdom) (GB)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Annual Review of Environment and Resources
- Published
- 2024-10-18
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-environ-121522-045106
- Citations
- 33
- Primary Topic
- Species Distribution and Climate Change
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 29.43
Funders
- Stockholm Environment Institute
- UK Research and Innovation