Scientists want to examine environmental goals more comprehensively from space: 'Measuring biodiversity the way we measure weather' | outside

Scientists hope this multibillion-dollar plan will allow them to better monitor the health of the planet and protect the global supply of food, water and materials. In addition, they want to review the various governments that have signed up to at least 23 biodiversity targets during COP15 in 2022.

By 2030, animal extinction due to human behavior must end, and more than a third of the world's ecosystems must be restored to their original glory. But more and more scientists have expressed concern that they are not sure whether these goals will be achieved, mainly due to a lack of information.

With the help of a global monitoring system, they want to check whether the goals are achieved or not. “When you go to the doctor, you don't want him to look at you and say, 'Yes, you look healthy' or 'You look a bit pale,'” says Alice Hughes, an associate professor at the University of Hong Kong. Kong v. The Guardian. “They “They take measurements.”

Although there seems to be a lot to know about our planet, there is still a lot to discover. So far, only 6.74% of our planet has been sampled. The largest “blind spots” are the tropics, while they contain the bulk of global life. What we know most about – 82% of those samples – are Europe, the United States, Australia and South Africa.

In addition, high-altitude regions or deep oceans still raise big questions among scientists. They are often difficult or even impossible to achieve. Although science has seen tremendous innovations in scanning technology, these areas are still very difficult to monitor.

International cooperation is essential for the success of this plan. By sharing individual data and images, a global overview can be created.

“We need a larger monitoring system that allows us to measure biodiversity the way we measure weather. Maybe we don’t need it as much as weather, but we have to do it,” Maria Azeredo de Dornelas, a professor of biology at the University of St Andrews, told The Guardian.

“There are opportunities to do this very well. It will take international cooperation because it is not something that one country or even one continent can do. The planet’s biodiversity doesn’t really care about political borders.”

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