Scientists from the United States and Brazil warn that the current global progress toward United Nations (UN) sustainability goals is not fast enough to avert the biodiversity crisis. A scientific team led by the California Academy of Sciences evaluated progress toward current biodiversity targets put forth by the UN Convention for Biological Diversity specifically aimed at protecting the world’s oceans and seas. In an essay published yesterday in Perspectives in Ecology and Conservation, they argue that most signatory countries are not on track to achieve target goals, some of the targets are structured to give a false sense of conservation achievement, and that these targets must be restructured to incorporate adequate conservation incentives that instill valid hope for the future.

“We want to call attention to the fact that while the commitments of signatory parties to UN sustainability goals are important and necessary, they’re also overlooking critical conservation challenges,” says lead author and Academy postdoctoral researcher Dr. Hudson Pinheiro. “We want policy leaders to recognize that some targets need to be reassessed and improved in order to optimize the sustainability of the world’s marine ecosystems and make real progress towards averting the biodiversity crisis.”

Source: Scientists warn of slow progress towards United Nations biodiversity targets