The latest (2024) update of the UK Biodiversity indicator (UK Biodiversity Indicators 2024) has been published today (Tuesday 10 December). First published in 2007, this is the 17th update of the UK Biodiversity Indicators.
Indicators are useful tools for summarising and communicating broad trends. The UK Biodiversity Indicators set includes 29 indicators, comprising 55 measures in total. The 2024 update of the UK Biodiversity Indicators, comprises data updates for 39 measures, representing 15 indicators.
In the 2024 update, while around half of the assessed indicator measures are improving in the long term, in the short term more are either deteriorating or showing little or no change than improving.
- No indicators have changed category over the short term to become improving. Many indicators already showing improvement in the long term remained as improving in the short term.
- Of those indicators which have been improving in the long term, some have begun to show no change or even deteriorate in the short term.
- Of those indicators which have been deteriorating in the long term, some have stopped deteriorating in the short term.
The UK Biodiversity Indicators were created to provide a measure for reporting on the UK’s progress towards meeting international biodiversity goals and targets. Since their inception, the indicators have been periodically refined and revised to ensure they continue to be based on the most robust and reliable available data, and that they remain relevant to changes to the international goals and drivers.
Recently, JNCC has worked alongside Defra, the devolved governments and country nature conservation bodies to review the UK Biodiversity Indicators in the context of the goals, targets and headline indicators of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) , as agreed under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). The review led to recommendations for new and revised UK Biodiversity Indicators. These recommendations have since been adjusted in light of the latest guidance published on indicator methodologies for GBF reporting, as well as advice provided by the Biodiversity Indicators Steering Group. The 2024 publication of the UK Biodiversity Indicators includes development plans for those existing indicators that will be adapted, and new pages have been created ready for forthcoming new indicators that are expected to be developed for GBF reporting.
One indicator to highlight this year is the Global biodiversity impacts of UK economic activity / sustainable consumption indicator, which has for the first time been published as an 'Official Statistic' rather than an 'Official Statistic in Development'. This means it has completed its development phase and is considered trustworthy, high quality and valuable. The indicator estimates the deforestation, biodiversity loss and water stress associated with what we eat, use and buy in the UK, which may have been produced anywhere in the world. An associated global dataset is also available.
The UK Biodiversity Indicators are an accredited official statistics compendium and are dependent on a wide variety of data, provided by government, research bodies, and the voluntary sector – in total nearly 100 organisations are involved. The presentation and assessment of the indicators is verified by the data providers, and the production and editing of the indicators is overseen by government statisticians.
Much of the data for the species indicators is gathered through some of JNCC’s 11 schemes that monitor species across the UK. Monitoring schemes are critical in helping us understand how nature is faring and whether policies impacting conservation are being successful. These insights on the impact of policies on species, combined with other monitoring data, also enable us to project the likely impact of conservation polices and their effectiveness.
JNCC would like to express thanks to all colleagues who have contributed to the publication of the UK Biodiversity Indicators; your effort and dedication are greatly appreciated.
To find out more, visit UK Biodiversity Indicators 2024.