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Researchers use IPBES Indirect Drivers of Change to Identify Underlying Causes of Biodiversity Loss in Scotland

English (396)
A new report led by The James Hutton Institute and commissioned by NatureScot (Scotland's Nature Agency), points to factors which are indirectly contributing to nature loss in Scotland including culture, education, demography, economy, political systems and technology.

The report follows the framework of the 2019 IPBES Global Assessment Report on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services and its definitions of the indirect drivers. The paper summarizes the description of these drivers given in the IPBES report, transposing these to the Scottish situation with relevant evidence presented to support this transposition and identify potential levers of change.

The report presents a critical assessment of the status and trends of the natural world, the social implications of these trends, their direct and indirect causes, and actions that can be taken to ensure a better future for all. The report identifies ways to reduce the impacts of some of these contributing factors to help move towards a future where humans live more in harmony with nature. Government, public bodies, schools, businesses, individuals and communities are highlighted as having a lead role to play. Recommendations include that policy makers and businesses move away from measuring performance based on levels of production and consumption and focus more on regenerative uses of the land and sea as part of a sustainable, circular economy.

The report also makes extensive use of knowledge published in the IPBES Assessment of Scenarios and Models of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, as well as the IPBES Assessment on the Diverse Values and Valuation of Nature.
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Values assessment, Global assessment (1st work programme), Scenarios and models assessment
2023-08-31
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