Coconut Horia Varlan from Flickr
This kind of horizon scanning exercise can be useful to avoid situations where we're ill-prepared to deal with the consequences." - —Professor Bill Sutherland A UK-led team of researchers has identified 15 issues that could affect the diversity of life on Earth in 2013. They include using synthetic DNA to genetically modify organisms, soaring demand for coconut water, and competition for land to grow plants for fish farming. Other topics the researchers highlight include dam-building in the Andean Amazon, using coral nurseries to restore reefs, and the commercial use of short portions of antimicrobial proteins. The emerging issues are the result of an attempt to pinpoint threats, opportunities and developments that aren't widely recognised, but which need further research in case they turn into big problems for biodiversity. The thinking behind the exercise is to identify potential concerns, so we can respond more effectively if the researchers' projections prove accurate. Indeed, so-called horizon scanning is used by private and public organisations to inform processes related to policy, risk assessment, strategic planning, and innovation.
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