Harvesting human pee and DIY fertiliser: top conservation issues in 2023

Wetland protection, ailing amphibians and rising sea levels among issues likely to have global impact

What should people who care about conservation be paying attention to? Every year since 2009, scientists and conservationists from around the world have come together under the direction of researchers from the University of Cambridge to answer that question. Their goal is to provide novel information that society and decision-makers may wish to consider in legislation, planning and actions that contribute to environmental sustainability and mitigating threats".

This year's group came up with 15 top issues that fall into four main categories: resource use, disturbance of organisms and habitats, technological innovations, and policy and law. Nearly half of the topics that bubbled to the top have a connection to the climate crisis.